


Embers

by Jezehel



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Anxious Zuko (Avatar), Drama, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Multi, Mutual Pining, Past Child Abuse, Romance, Some Humor, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 04:35:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 91,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26467294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jezehel/pseuds/Jezehel
Summary: Four years after the war, Zuko is in desperate need of a vacation and organises a reunion on Ember Island, with Suki, Sokka and Toph in tow. Fresh from her break-up with Aang, Katara decides to join. Shenanigans ensue. (I suck at summaries)
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 102
Kudos: 176





	1. Old Friends

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Shockingly, as a fanfic author, I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Although now I think about it, if I was on that creative team and was denied Zutara, maybe I would be doing this anyway...
> 
> This is my first Zutara fic! I am also working on another one (with a very different tone) so updates may be sporadic, although I have a few chapters in the bank already. This fic is canon-compliant, up to and including the 'North and South' comic. I have tried my best to keep the characters true to their show-selves, but any feedback and constructive criticism is welcome as long as you're happy to be added to my Enemies List - Gravity is looking pretty lonely on there so the company would be appreciated, I'm sure.
> 
> This is fairly fluffy but you shouldn't need to book an emergency dentist appointment (unless you feel like it - you do you). This is intended to be part of a series but I can't for the life of me think of a name for the series yet - any suggestions are welcome
> 
> Terrible jokes aside, I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing it :)

_“Aang…what are you saying?”_

_“I’m sorry, Katara. I_ have _to meditate on this.” He paused. “It might take a couple of days.”_

_“Aang…please don’t go. Aang…AANG!”_

_With a resounding rush of air, Aang hastily sped away on his glider, leaving Katara sobbing on the steps of the Royal Palace._

****

It was an unseasonably hot afternoon, and the sun was beating down heavily on the streets of the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se. The shade, where it could be found, offered little respite and so the citizens had deserted the streets and taken to the Upper Ring’s parks and gardens to find refuge in the many fountains and pools that dotted their landscapes. The streets were not entirely devoid of life, but Katara felt utterly alone. More alone than she ever had been in her life. Wearing a light, loose-fitting dress in her Water Tribe colours, Katara slowly meandered through the stifling city. Her feet were carrying her to the train station that lay in the outer reaches of the Upper Ring, though she paid no attention to her surroundings. Her mind was entirely far too preoccupied with painful memories of the last few days.

It hadn’t been supposed to be like this. She was supposed to be up in the air on Appa, watching the world go by, sharing happy memories and exchanging stories with her travel companions, and plotting their next move. She was supposed to be cuddling up to Aang, her boyfriend and her… She couldn’t bear to let that last thought finish. But she missed it. She missed all of it. Sokka with his trademark boomerang, ponytail (because it was a ponytail no matter how fervently he denied it) and goofy grin; scruffy Toph with her hard-as-nails attitude and her awesome ability; Suki with her wit and bravery. Watching the calm yet fun-loving Kyoshi Warrior put Sokka in his place time and again had caused no end of amusement for the rest of the group. And of course there was the last addition to their group, the brooding firebender, Zuko. It had taken Katara a long time to warm up to him when he had first joined, but he had been able to give her something no-one else ever had – closure over her mother’s death. For all his hard exterior, he had also helped lift some of the weight of looking after the group’s needs from her shoulders.

Of course, it hadn’t been like _that_ for a long time. Since the war had ended four years ago, slowly but surely the group had begun to splinter and go their separate ways. Zuko, of course, was Fire Lord, Toph had her metalbending school and Sokka spent most of his time between the South Pole and Kyoshi Island, desperately trying to balance the needs of his tribe with the needs of his relationship. They all remained friends, of course, but each had their own lives to lead, their own goals to accomplish. As fun as it had been, they couldn’t all have realistically spent the rest of their lives following the Avatar from one crazy adventure to the next. But not Katara. She was the exception…had been the exception.

Katara sighed loudly. She really didn’t want to do this, go home to the Southern Water Tribe. After all she had seen and done, life in the South Pole held no appeal for her, especially when everything had changed so much. Even if it meant getting to see Sokka, her father and Gran-Gran more than once a year. She knew without a shadow of doubt that her family would be delighted to see her whenever she turned up but that didn’t take away their responsibilities. Gran-Gran had reunited with her former betrothed, Grand Master Pakku of the Northern Water Tribe, Hakoda was Head Chieftain of the united Southern Water Tribe, with his new wife Malina to boot, and Sokka was busy helping their father quell the fears the Southern Water Tribe felt at opening back up to the world. They all had so much on their plates already. The last thing they needed was to comfort a heartbroken Katara. But she had nowhere else to go… Everyone was busy and at least if Katara went to the South Pole, she wouldn’t be intruding as much as she would if she had decided to pay Toph or Zuko a visit instead. Of course no matter where she went, she would have to field all the awkward questions as to what had happened between her and Aang. Sokka would make idle threats about hunting the Avatar down for hurting his sister, and Suki would quickly quash any half-serious notions he might have. Toph, to her credit, wouldn’t outwardly pry but that girl could see much more than just the physical world with her feet. Toph would know what had happened before Katara could even say hello. Zuko…she didn’t know what Zuko would do. There was a decent chance he might stare at her awkwardly before muttering something about urgent Fire Nation business and making an escape…but perhaps that was unfair. Zuko had proved himself to be very caring and loyal but the truth was Katara just didn’t know him all that well, compared to the others. She had seen him only a handful of times since the war had ended, and not at all in the last eighteen months.

As she hadn’t been paying any attention to the world around her, Katara didn’t notice the loose cobblestone jutting roughly out of the street until it was too late. Her ankle gave way and she shot her palms out protectively before clattering to the ground in a dishevelled heap. Her palms and knees grazed the rough surface and she felt a painful burning sensation begin to creep up her ankle. She had obviously twisted it in her carelessness. She tried rotating it and gasped in pain. Tears began stinging her eyes, but she knew it wasn’t her ankle that was really bothering her. _That_ was an easy fix. She reached for her waterskin and grasped the contents within. The water bent neatly onto her hand like a glove, glowing brightly, and she placed it against her swollen limb, unable to stop the tears from coming. Once the swelling had gone down and the pain had dulled to nothing, she tested her ankle again. Fine.

“Katara!” a loud voice bellowed at her from across the street. She hurriedly wiped her eyes on the back of her hands and stood up to greet whoever it was. By now the sun was hanging low and it took her a moment to recognise the figure through the glare even as they approached.

“I thought for sure my eyes must be deceiving me, but that lovely trick of yours gave you away!” Iroh beamed at her.

“Iroh!” she exclaimed, smiling, and immediately embraced him. He happily returned the hug, folding his arms around the much smaller waterbender. “It’s so good to see you.” It really was, she found. “I was just…taking a walk and-”

“And you happened to find yourself outside of my little tea shop,” Iroh grinned in response. He noticed the flush of her cheeks, and the red rims around her eyes, but he said nothing. “I am flattered, truly. You must come in for a cup!”

“Oh!” Katara started. She blushed – had that been rude? “Thank you so much, sir, but I really should get going. I don’t know if I have time…” She wasn’t sure when the last train to the outer walls of Ba Sing Se left. And then she would have to find a way of crossing the vast Earth Kingdom and that was before even trying to find a ship that could give her passage to the South Pole.

Iroh’s face fell and he tutted at her disapprovingly. “Katara, I think you and I need to have a little talk." Katara froze. Did he know? How could he possibly know? Had Aang-? “I have told you before, call me Uncle!” Katara’s nerves flooded with relief. “And of course you have time! There is always time for tea,” Iroh insisted cheerfully. Katara thought about it briefly, then nodded eagerly. She had weeks and weeks of tiring travel ahead of her, whether she left right now or afterwards. No South Pole-bound ships would likely be found at the harbour just outside the sprawling city, that much she knew. There was no getting around it, she would have to cross the Earth Kingdom mostly by foot. What was the harm in stopping for a refreshing drink with an old friend on the way? Iroh took her pack from her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, guiding her into his shop. It had been a long time since Katara had visited it. Another remnant of days gone by. It looked much the same as Katara had remembered it. She felt strangely glad. It was nice to see that not everything had changed unrecognisably.

****

Upon entering the Throne Room, the thoroughly confused herald softly cleared his throat. Zuko looked up from the report he had been reading and smiled kindly at the man, gesturing that he had Zuko’s attention.

“Uh…Fire Lord, there’s a…uh…” the herald stuttered. Zuko frowned quizzically. He hadn’t been expecting to hold further court today but that was no matter, he was happy to receive anyone who petitioned him. It was hardly a strange occurrence. But the herald, Jing, was acting very strangely indeed, scratching the back of his neck and mumbling under his breath, unsure of how to say it. “The, uh… _Melon Lord_ is here to see you…”

“Melon Lord?” Zuko asked, now also thoroughly confused, his expression matching Jing’s. What – or who – in the world was Jing talking about? “Who?”

“I – I’m afraid the Melon Lord did not give me any more information, Fire Lord Zuko.” Jing shifted his weight from leg to leg nervously. Jing had had the misfortune to serve under Ozai for a good fifteen years before Zuko had ascended to the throne. Even though it had been four years, it was very clearly ingrained into him not to upset the Fire Lord. And presenting a visitor in such a manner, even though Jing recognised the self-proclaimed Melon Lord as a personal friend of Zuko’s, was definitely something that would have upset the old Fire Lord, if he was in the wrong mood.

“Tell him it’s urgent!” a voice hissed at him from just outside the door, out of Zuko’s hearing.

“The Melon Lord says it’s urgent,” Jing relayed. There was a pause as the mysterious visitor rapidly whispered some more instructions. “And there is some unfinished business between you two.” Jing thought about what he had just said and his eyes widened in panic. A small smile played on Zuko’s lips as he fought to suppress a very un-Fire Lord-like laugh. How silly of him. He knew exactly who the Melon Lord was – one of his fiercest opponents outside of the battlefield.

“Well,” Zuko said finally. “I would hate to inconvenience the Melon Lord. Send her in!”

Toph appeared in the doorway, looking halfway between dejected and annoyed that Zuko had seen through her clever ruse. “I really thought I had you going there!”

“It’s great to see you, Toph!” Zuko grinned at her, opening his arms as the little earthbender approached for a hug. Jing bowed and exited, closing the door behind him to give them their privacy.

“How you doing, Hotman?” Toph beamed up at him. Zuko grimaced. He had forgotten that little nickname.

“Very busy,” he admitted tiredly. “But it always cheers me up to see an old friend,” he added kindly. “It’s been months since I’ve seen any of you.”

“It’s been forever since I’ve seen any of _you_ ,” Toph retorted.

“Really? I thought Aang and Katara stopped by your school a few weeks ago.”

“Blind, remember? I’ve never seen any of you,” Toph snorted, hands on her hips. Zuko immediately felt embarrassed, but Toph put him at ease by cackling. It had been a set-up. Of course it had. It was Toph.

Zuko suggested that he take a tea-break to catch up, an invitation that Toph keenly accepted. Once they had exchanged the usual pleasantries and reminisced of the time they had all travelled together, Zuko began to feel more at peace than he had for months. There were times that Zuko really longed for those days. Although they had been in the middle of a war waged by his own father, once he had been accepted to the group everything had still managed to feel so carefree for those few precious weeks. Everything that had happened, good or bad, they had faced together. He missed the easy camaraderie they had all had. Zuko halted that train of thought. He was getting too nostalgic. He didn’t often do that, but seeing anyone from the gang had that effect on him.

“So what brings you to the Fire Nation?” he asked, pouring her a second cup of tea.

“Well,” Toph began. “I don’t know if you remember, Hotman, but you still owe me that life-changing field trip. I’ve come to collect.” Zuko started. Was she being serious? Her face looked serious. His eyes started shifting around the room nervously, searching for he didn’t even know what.

“Toph, I-”

“Kidding!” Toph smirked. “Man you are so easy sometimes.” Zuko couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “There is actually something I’ll need to discuss with you though, at some point, maybe.” She took a long slurp of tea and continued: “One of your refineries is interested in making a business deal with my school. I’m here with some of the lily-livers – sorry, _students_ – to hammer out the details.” Zuko nodded.

“I’m glad to hear that it’s going so well.” He was at a loss for what else to say. “Is there anything I can do to help?” he offered.

Toph shrugged. “It’s just business. I may need your help in the future, but for now this is just a social visit."

“Well I am honoured that the Melon Lord could take the time out of her busy schedule,” Zuko smiled. “Where are the lily-livers now?” Toph grinned at him. She loved it whenever someone else called them that.

“That’s not very Fire Lord-like,” she joked. “We have rooms in Harbour City. I guess they’re off exploring, I don’t know.”

“You should have written to me,” Zuko said. “You could have all stayed here.”

“Where would be the fun in that? Hard to drop in unannounced if you already know about it.”

“You’re right as always, Melon Lord,” Zuko conceded happily. He knew that couldn’t be the real reason. But then again it _was_ Toph. The entertainment she got from confusing the embers out of Zuko and Jing was definitely a good enough reason for Toph. “But anytime, I mean it.”

“Weeelll...I _was_ thinking of taking a vacation soon. And I just _happen_ to know that Sokka is coming here in a couple of months with Suki…” Yes of course, thought Zuko, Suki’s rotation was coming up. Placing the Kyoshi Warriors as the Palace Guard had originally been Mai’s idea as she knew Zuko had been having fitful, sleepless nights for fear of assassins in every shadow. Zuko had found he felt much more comfortable having this elite force around him and had broached the subject of a long-term arrangement with Suki, who had been more than happy to oblige. Ten Kyoshi Warriors were posted at the Royal Palace at any given time, and so as to make it fair the women took three-month stints with the rest of the year spent in their home village on Kyoshi Island. There was no end-date for this arrangement, and indeed it had helped to foster good ties with the Earth Kingdom. Which was why, he supposed, one of the refineries was headhunting Toph’s metalbenders. That would have been unthinkable before. The former Fire Nation colony of Yu Dao had been the first of its kind, Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation citizens living in harmony for generations, and it had opened the door to many possibilities. Zuko had promised himself, and Suki, that if it got too much for any of the women or if the arrangement stopped working, it could be honourably broken. Zuko trusted Suki not to lie to him, and so far everyone seemed happy. In fact, some of the Kyoshi Warriors relished the opportunity to travel and still remain loyal to their Order.

Zuko suddenly realised something. “What was that about Sokka?”

“Suki let it slip that you were going to be taking a break to Ember Island while she was here,” Toph explained. That much was true, thought Zuko, but how could Toph possibly know that? “I guess Sokka thought he would try and crash the…oh right, I was supposed to give you this.” Toph produced a roll of parchment from a pocket in her yellow tunic. Zuko unfurled it and quickly took in the contents. His face broke out into a genuine smile.

“That sounds like a great idea,” he said, a pleasant warm sensation building up in his chest. He frowned. “But how did you know about this?”

“Kyoshi Island is far,” Toph said matter-of-factly. “No hawks can make the journey. Since I was coming out this way, I thought I’d bring it to you myself. Sure sounds like the three of you will have a lovely time…”

“Toph, do you have time to join us?” Zuko asked, picking up the very unsubtle hint.

“I’m sure I could clear some space in my schedule,” Toph beamed at him. Zuko was glad. This was shaping up to be quite the reunion. His mother, Noren and Kiyi were also going to be joining, as had always been the plan, and even Uncle Iroh would be making the journey from Ba Sing Se for a few weeks. Iroh had been the one to suggest recreating the old Ember Island family vacations. Zuko would still need to tend to any urgent business that his council couldn’t handle in his stead, but taking a few weeks off in the summer had been the norm for many years in Zuko’s childhood. It had been one of the few family traditions that had been enjoyed by everyone, seemingly even Ozai.

Zuko could never have imagined it would turn out like this. That just left Katara and Aang. He wondered if there would be any way of contacting them. The Avatar and Katara liked to stay on the move, and could be very hard to pin down at any given time. As if she had read his mind, Toph interjected: “I don’t know about Twinkletoes and Sugar Queen. They said their next stop was Ba Sing Se to see the Earth King but that was weeks ago.” They probably would have moved on by now. Zuko resolved to get a message to his Uncle Iroh, on the off-chance they were still there. It would be really wonderful to have everyone together again.

****

The night had well and truly fallen over Ba Sing Se. Katara hadn’t seemed to notice. It had been a couple of hours since Iroh had closed for business for the evening, but he didn’t mind at all. He sat opposite the unusually quiet waterbender at a table in the back of the shop, away from any prying eyes and ears, patiently waiting for Katara to finish her story. It had taken some gentle coaxing from Iroh, but Katara had eventually confided in him about everything that had happened over the last few days. It hadn’t taken her long at all, in truth, to lose the fragile grip she had over her emotions once Iroh had asked for news and stories of her and Aang’s latest adventure. She had been on the verge of tears, but fortunately Iroh had noticed and ushered her to the back of the shop to give her some privacy.

“Then, he said he had to meditate on it and he would be back in a couple of days,” Katara finished, looking sadly at her tea. Iroh nodded thoughtfully. This was a tricky one, he had to admit, and not at all what he had been expecting when he invited her inside. But he was grateful he had spotted his friend when he did. Katara was grateful too. Although her heart still felt very heavy, she had to admit that telling her story to Iroh had lifted a small weight from her stomach.

“And did he come back?” Iroh asked kindly. Katara shook her head.

“No,” she said, a fresh wave of tears threatening to fall. “I mean…I don’t know. I left before he came back. I just…couldn’t do it anymore, I couldn’t just wait around for him, I…” She faltered. She took a deep breath before continuing: “I feel like I deserved it, and Aang deserves better. I thought it would be best not to be there when he came back.” Iroh looked startled at this.

“Katara,” he said gently, scooping up one of her hands in his. “Of course you don’t deserve it. What Aang did was rash, but I’m sure he understands you did what you had to do.”

“You really believe that?”

“Of course. He loves you. I’m sure he’ll be delighted to see you when he gets back.”

“No, I mean…you really believe I did what I had to?” Iroh nodded. “You don’t think I’m a bad person?”

“By the heavens, no!” Iroh exclaimed. “How could you even think that?” Katara couldn’t help herself and the tears spilled down her cheeks. Iroh stood up and pulled her into a comforting hug. She sobbed into his shoulder as he rubbed her back soothingly.

When she had quietened down, Iroh returned to his seat, watching her wrestle with her thoughts. The expression on her face reminded him of Zuko, during their three years travelling together after Zuko was banished.

“So, Katara, if you don’t mind me asking, what will you do now?”

“Go home to the Southern Water Tribe, I guess,” Katara said, finishing what must have been her twelfth cup of tea by now. Iroh didn’t need to be studying her closely to know that going home was not what Katara wanted. She looked so…lost and trapped. Iroh leaned back in his seat, pondering. It was clear Katara needed some space to clear her head. No doubt the arduous journey to the South Pole would do that, but it was also clear that this was the last thing she wanted. He could understand that. He couldn’t imagine returning to the Fire Nation permanently now. He had found his calling in Ba Sing Se. As much as he missed his nephew, he was happy where he was. A quiet life was what he had dreamed of, now he was in his golden years. But Katara was young, vibrant, and full of energy and passion. Even if she forced herself to settle back into the day-to-day routines of where she called home, she wouldn’t be truly happy. Especially not when she had seen all the world had to offer. Especially not after she had spent the last few years with the Avatar, putting out fires one at a time. He completely understood that need for excitement and adventure. It had been admirable, really, that Zuko had seemed so content to stay and rule over what could often be petty squabbles rather than remaining out there and exploring. But as Zuko had always maintained, being the Fire Lord was his destiny, _his_ calling. He somehow didn’t believe that going to live in the South Pole again was Katara’s destiny.

Resolved, he sat up. “Katara?” Sniffing, Katara looked up and their gazes met. As Iroh opened his mouth to speak, Katara gasped, eyes wide. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s night! Iroh, I am so sorry! I feel awful for having kept you-!”

“Nonsense, Katara,” Iroh chuckled, waving her apology away. “No apologies necessary. I always have time for an old friend, no matter the hour.” He smiled at her. “Besides, you won’t find a train to the Outer Ring now, I can promise you that. I have a spare room in my apartment above. I insist you join me for dinner and spend the night.” Before Katara could protest, Iroh shook his head. “Please,” he said. “That apartment can get lonely of an evening. I would be delighted to have a guest.” Katara smiled shakily at him. Iroh would have to hunt down a bedroll for her – the room had been vacant for some time and Iroh had turned it into an artist studio of sorts. He told that to Katara, and she let out a small giggle herself. “And if you’re not too tired, I could teach you Pai Sho. I should warn you however, I can get very competitive!”

Katara smiled again. “I don’t believe that for a second,” she said. “But…I have always been curious about the game. If you have time to teach me…” Iroh beamed at her once more.

“It’s settled, then. The stairway is just through that door.” He pointed behind Katara. “Let me just lock up and I will join you soon.”

“Thank you, Uncle,” she whispered gratefully.

After they had had a simple dinner of noodle soup, prepared by Katara, and a few rounds of Pai Sho, Katara looked significantly more relaxed. He couldn’t say Katara had a natural talent for the game, but she had seemed to enjoy herself and learned quickly. Now it seemed as good a time as any to try broaching the subject again, Iroh decided.

“Forgive me for intruding, Katara, but I don’t think going back to the South Pole is what you want,” he began, putting yet another cup of tea in front of her.

“It’s not,” Katara admitted. “But I don’t really know where else to go. Besides, it will be nice to see Sokka and dad and Gran-Gran again.” Iroh had no doubt that it would. He would have let it be had Katara not otherwise seemed so forlorn about the whole thing.

“I don’t think it’s what you need, either,” Iroh continued. “If you’re anything like me, what you need is time. Time to clear your head and time to heal. Do you have any responsibilities at home?” Katara shrugged.

“They’re not expecting me if that’s what you mean.”

“Well, good. Not that they wouldn’t be incredibly lucky to have you!” Iroh added quickly. “I hope I’m not being too forward, but…why don’t you stay in Ba Sing Se? I would love to have the company, and truth be told, I could really use some help around the shop. I’m not as spry as I once was!” He patted his belly for emphasis, chuckling. “You could stay here with me, if you’re comfortable with that. Or, I’m sure together we could find you some rooms so you have your own space.” Something had changed in Katara as he spoke. She sat up a bit straighter, and Iroh recognised a small glimmer of hope in her deep blue eyes as she considered the prospect. But she quickly deflated again.

“Iroh, I…I couldn’t. I don’t want to impose!” Katara said desperately.

“How would you be imposing? You’ll be far too busy helping me keep my customers in line!” Iroh grinned at her. Katara somehow doubted the calibre of customer Iroh got in his shop needed ‘keeping in line’ but she appreciated what Iroh was trying to say. Iroh leaned in conspiratorially and whispered: “Between you and me, some of those people are crazy! How can you not like bubble tea?!” It took a moment to figure out what Iroh meant, but then she remembered about Iroh’s invention – cold tea with pearls of tapioca lining the bottom. Supposedly they added flavour and texture. She hadn’t tried it herself, but Aang and Zuko hadn’t seemed too keen. The thought of the Avatar caused a painful pang in her heart, but she quickly suppressed it. If Sokka was here, he would call it a Paang, knowing him. She could feel another small giggle rising at the thought of Sokka’s expression, but it didn’t quite make it to the surface. She had a decision to make, and it wasn’t a hard one.

“Uncle,” she began tentatively. Iroh didn’t need her to finish. He already knew what she was going to say. “I would be honoured. Thank you so, so much. I promise I will be the best assistant you’ve ever had!”

“I don’t doubt it,” Iroh chuckled heartily. “Zuko was terrible.” And for the first time all night, Iroh heard the waterbender laugh.


	2. Ba Sing Se

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko reflects on everything that has happened since the war; Katara settles into her new life in Ba Sing Se at Iroh's side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who read, left comments and kudos on the last chapter. I will admit, this one is a bit of a filler chapter but my girl needs to heal and figure out who she is. We also have a guest appearance of someone from Zuko's past. If you're intrigued or just bored with nothing better to do than read Zutara fluff (i.e. like me), read on.

It had been another long and tiring day for Zuko, and he was glad to finally be able to escape to his chambers. His councilmen weren’t bad people in the least, but they all seemed to find it extremely difficult to agree on _anything_. Zuko had had to replace most of the royal advisors when he had taken the throne. Some had simply refused to pledge their loyalty to the new Fire Lord, others he suspected had dark intentions. Those who weren’t involved in the war trials had simply been allowed to leave, on the condition that they were to just return to their families and go about their lives. Anyone who attempted an insurgency would be thrown into the cells. It had been one of Zuko’s first major acts as Fire Lord, and although _he_ knew showing the men mercy had been the right thing to do, it was just yet another matter his current councilmen had enjoyed squabbling over. Zuko had made it clear from the beginning he was not going to be like his father. He didn’t expect or want a panel of obedient yes-men, and he took pains to ensure he heard the point of view of each and every one before making a decision. Pains because such a tactic often resulted in Zuko losing his will to live and not being able to get away until the sun had long since set. The councilmen had quickly learned that when Zuko put his head in his hands and sighed, it was time to try and find a resolution. Zuko didn’t inspire fear the way Ozai had but they also didn’t want to disrespect their Fire Lord.

It had been harder in the beginning, when the Fire Nation had all but crumbled from the weight of rebuilding after the war. The Fire Nation hadn’t suffered anywhere near the great losses the other nations had, but a collective guilt rested on their consciences. None of them, even Zuko, really knew where to start with regaining the world’s trust and fixing the wrongs from the past one hundred years. The war trials had been held at Zuko’s insistence. Some of his more sympathetic advisors had tried to argue that it was unnecessary and they should all be left to rot like Ozai, if not executed for their crimes. Zuko had vehemently disagreed, and it had been one of the few times he had had to shout them down. He _wouldn’t_ just execute them, and he wouldn’t just imprison them. How was Zuko supposed to try and usher in a new age of peace and kindness if that didn’t start with his own people? Even war criminals deserved the right to a fair trial.

The war trials were presided over by a special council made up of one representative from each of the three remaining nations. Aang had been approached to stand for the Air Nomads, but he had declined which Zuko could understand. Zuko of course had stood for the Fire Nation; the Earth King had sent over one of his most trusted advisors for the job; and Master Pakku of the Northern Water Tribe had acted as their representative. He had spent time in both tribes now, and had the blessings of the Southern chieftains to speak for them as well. Everyone knew that except for the Air Nomads, the Southern Water Tribe had suffered the most at the Fire Nation’s hands. It was therefore unsurprising that Master Pakku was almost always in favour of a guilty verdict with the harshest punishment. Both Zuko and Master Pakku had found themselves nearly coming to blows on some occasions, and the poor Earth Kingdom advisor was always the one who had to break the tie. But any verdict had to be unanimous and was final. As Fire Nation citizens, their ultimate punishment was left to Zuko, but as with his councilmen he made sure to hear their opinions before rendering the sentence.

That had been a gruelling two years, and Zuko had felt immensely relieved when it was over. At his insistence, no-one had been sentenced to death for their crimes, but many languished in prisons around the country. The worst had been given life sentences, and these were the ones sent to the Boiling Rock. This was something Zuko couldn’t shout them all down about. It had been a very difficult decision for him to make, given how only a few years ago he was in their position, relentlessly chasing the Avatar in the blind belief of the glory of the Fire Nation, and not caring who got caught in the crossfire. He had seen the conditions of Boiling Rock with his own eyes, had even been briefly imprisoned there, but in a dark pit of his soul, he agreed that was where they belonged. The ones given those sentences were the ones who had shown no remorse, and seemed almost proud that they had been the worst of the worst. But Zuko still made sure to visit once a year, the date kept secret from the wardens, to ensure there was no cruelty or inhuman punishment taking place.

Zuko collapsed onto his bed, exhausted. He didn’t know how late it was but he wasn’t sure he wanted to. He sighed, reminding himself it was only a few short weeks before he would get a break. The first break he had had since becoming Fire Lord. He had already been looking forward to seeing Iroh and his family again, but Toph’s message had really sealed it. It had been planned whilst Suki had last been on rotation, and he had already asked if she would accompany them. Not as a bodyguard, per se, more for his peace of mind that he could better keep everyone safe with her help. Suki would technically be on duty, but that just meant keeping his family safe if it was needed. He wanted Suki to enjoy some time off as well. Thankfully, since the dissolution of the New Ozai Society the threats to his life and the peace of his country had reduced significantly. But there was still the odd lone wolf with the capacity for causing a lot of trouble, and he trusted the Kyoshi Warriors completely. It had actually been Zuko’s idea originally that if Suki wanted to bring Sokka, he would be more than welcome, but as the months had passed he had forgotten about it until Toph had visited.

He had felt uncertain about inviting the others out of the blue. They were his friends, he knew that, and they all cared about each other. In times of _need_ , they would be there. They had been before. But as time had gone on, Zuko could feel the yawning chasm between them growing deeper. Being largely confined to the Fire Nation, he could only watch from the sidelines or hear through the grapevine as they moved on with their lives. Toph was very unpredictable and he honestly couldn’t have said whether she would have even been interested in a social visit, metalbending academy or no metalbending academy. Katara and Aang almost certainly wouldn’t have had the time, and he didn’t want to pressure them into feeling they had to abandon their commitments just to placate Zuko. It was as if a part of him hadn’t wanted to give in to that hope that they might actually _want_ to… His mind had conjured images of awkward silences, boredom and squirming to get away. Sometimes he felt like the memory of what could have been was better. A memory of them all having a great time and being just as eager to see him as he was them…reality marred perfection every time. At least that had been his rationalisation. Then Toph had very unsubtly mentioned she wanted to join the party, and Zuko mentally slapped himself.

 _Why_ had he allowed his anxiety to get the better of him? He should have just _asked_ them. The worst that would have happened is they may have declined. It would have been disappointing, of course. But how could they possibly do otherwise if he didn’t give them the chance? After Toph had left and gone to find her lily-livers, Zuko scribbled an urgent message to Iroh, on the off-chance he might at least know where Katara and Aang could be found. He knew it would still take two weeks for the message to reach Ba Sing Se, but he had to try. He wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice, because the more he thought about it, the more he longed to see them. Iroh’s response when it had come nearly a month later had been brief, stating he would keep an eye out for them. It was very unlike Iroh to be so brief and to the point. Zuko wanted to know what his uncle was hiding but didn’t press the issue just then. There would be plenty of time to talk when they reached Ember Island.

Zuko admitted his heart had sunk a bit at Iroh’s reply, and he discarded any hope he may have had. He missed them all very much. As much as he had grumbled about it at the time, he missed Sokka’s awful sense of humour and wacky ideas that were sure to get them killed. That young man was a lot smarter than anyone really gave him credit for, but it was difficult to give credit to him when that same young man could also be a big idiot. He missed Aang’s relentless playfulness and positivity, which could at times be inappropriate and bordering on infuriating, but Aang was such a wholesome character you couldn’t begrudge him for it. He missed the delightful and almost brutish little spark that was Toph, and he imagined the earthbender would get on very well with Kiyi. They had quite similar personalities after all. And he missed Katara. He thought that the group had too often seen her as the mother more than anything else (especially Aang and Sokka) and inadvertently took advantage of her helpful nature. But the Katara he knew, the Katara he observed, was so much more than that. He had seen it every time they had fought as enemies, and later side-by-side. She could be incredibly stubborn, and hurtful when she wanted to be, and her rage could be a very scary thing to see. Zuko knew from experience how it felt to have it directed at him. But she was also in her heart very sweet, and sunny. Katara had been the most difficult one in the group to win over, but she had been worth it. The day she had finally forgiven him was a memory he would always cherish. Truthfully, there were times when he had been in complete awe of her…

As he drifted off into sleep, a pleasant thought came to him. This wasn’t going to be the _only time_ they could all get together again, now that the world was in a time of peace. He could always try again, at another time.

****

It had been two months since Katara had accepted Iroh’s offer and decided to stay in Ba Sing Se, at least for the time being. He knew it wasn’t the most exciting life, and it certainly wasn’t solving the world’s problems, but Iroh in his usual wisdom had been right. It was what Katara needed. The first few days had been very difficult and Iroh sometimes heard her sobbing herself to sleep through the walls. His heart reached out to her, but he also knew well enough to let her be. That studio-turned-second-bedroom was now Katara’s. Even if it was still partially filled with some of his works. To Iroh’s joy however, unlike his then very sullen nephew, Katara seemed to find genuine delight in sampling Iroh’s paintings, and they passed many a lazy evening together in the lounge, Iroh painting and Katara working on whatever she was working on.

It had taken this very sudden shift in her lifestyle for Katara to realise that she didn’t really know what she liked _doing_ in her downtime. She had had so little of it before. She tried her hand at a few hobbies, each passing fancy eagerly egged on by Iroh – she had tried knitting, but once she had a grasp on it and could do it without really having to concentrate, she found herself fixating. She had tried cooking new and exotic meals to share with Iroh, but it turned out her culinary skills were actually quite limited. She had even tried painting but her heart just wasn’t in it. The only thing that seemed to make her come alive was practicing waterbending, but it didn’t feel right to do that in someone else’s apartment.

The closest she had ever come was using her power to clean up the odd spill. She had once caught Iroh bending down to mop up the mess on his hands and knees. Pulling her best Iroh impression, she had crossed her arms and tutted: “Iroh, do we need to have a talk?” Iroh shot her a puzzled look, rag in hand. Attempting and failing to keep her face straight, Katara continued: “You’re living with a waterbender now! You don’t have to do that.” After gently chastising him, she neatly bent the water out of the wood and back into the pot, before both began chuckling comfortably together. It was good to her hear laugh, her eyes sparkling.

That had been two weeks in.

****

Katara could honestly say never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined living Ba Sing Se with the Dragon of the West (even the fortune-teller Aunt Wu may have struggled with that one) but it suited her just fine. With Iroh’s encouragement, she settled comfortably into her new role as his shop assistant as well as life in the big city. It had been a bit of a culture shock for her, accustomed as she was to Aang’s nomadic lifestyle. Some mornings she still woke up wondering where she would be laying her head that night, before the fog of sleep left her and she remembered. She would be here. No Aang trying to grab her attention, no Sokka telling stupid jokes. It was just her…and Iroh of course. She probably never would know exactly what had spurred the kindly man to take her in, but she knew she would always be thankful. Early on, she had begun unconsciously slipping back into the familiar role of ‘mother’ of the group, cleaning up after Iroh and automatically taking care of all of the chores. Grateful as he was, Iroh didn’t want her to because it seemed to mean to Katara that she had to stay in and clean every night after having worked hard all day. When he tried to lift a finger to help, Katara simply wouldn’t hear of it.

“I don’t mind,” Katara would insist. “You’ve been on your feet all day.”

“So have you,” he pointed out. He hadn’t invited her to stay to become his maid. He had invited her to stay because she had needed a friend, and the thought of not helping and watching her traipse sadly off to an uncertain future in that state just didn’t sit right with him. And, of course, if it hadn’t been for Katara, his nephew would not be alive today. Whether she acknowledged it or not, both of them were in her debt. That wasn’t the reason he had taken her under his wing, but it wasn’t something he would ever forget even if the waterbender had seemed to.

“Katara,” he began. At this, Katara put down the plate she had been holding and turned to him. “I don’t want you to stay up cleaning each night because you think it’s what I want,” he explained. Katara began to protest, but Iroh shook his head. “Go out and enjoy the city!” he encouraged. “It’s beautiful at night. The parks are full of fireflies and the fountains are lit up. Ba Sing Se is a magical place to go for a stroll at night.” He thought for a moment. His own words had tempted him. “In fact, I think I’ll join you!” And so they set off into the evening together, leaving the dishes unclean and exactly where they had left them, Iroh once again ignoring Katara’s protests to just let her do them quickly before they headed out.

As they walked, Katara grew pensive. When she allowed her mind to roam freely, her thoughts always turned back to Aang. At first she had thought of him with longing. She missed their adventures. She missed the way he would always call her ‘sweetie’, and the way his face lit up when he was proud of her. But lately, something didn’t feel quite right and it was nagging at her. And then the realisation dawned on her in horror. Her face fell, and Iroh rounded on her with concern. “What’s wrong?”

Katara’s cheeks heated up with embarrassment. She really had to get better at masking her emotions, she told herself. “It’s stupid,” she muttered. By this point, she didn’t even need to look at Iroh to know he disagreed with her. Nothing was stupid to Iroh. Except people who didn’t appreciate bubble tea, but that was just poor taste on their part. Katara had now tried the infamous beverage for herself, and she wholeheartedly agreed with Iroh – it was the summer tea of the future. And the tapioca really did add texture, especially when they popped unexpectedly mid-drink. “I was thinking about Aang…and the dishes,” she sighed, groaning inwardly. Iroh raised an eyebrow at her. “Is that all I was to Aang? The ‘mother’ who cooked and cleaned?”

Iroh opened his mouth to try and reassure Katara, but she wasn’t finished. “I…always had to be the buzzkill. It didn’t matter if I was asking them to do chores around camp or stop them from getting themselves locked up or killed! Sometimes it felt like they were thinking ‘oh crap Katara’s coming. Let’s go and do something stupid so she won’t notice we didn’t do the laundry!’”

“I was a lot more than that!” she spat out, not realising that her fists had clenched and her voice had risen indignantly. “I was a fighter. I had everyone’s backs, through everything. I supported Aang in every way possible for years! How could he just toss me aside so easily? Over a mistake?!” As she became aware of Iroh’s eyes on her, she suddenly sank back into herself. The moment of rage had passed, and now she just felt embarrassed and guilty for dragging Iroh into this. She turned to him to apologise, but paused when she saw he was smiling at her sadly.

“It’s good to talk,” he told her kindly. “Let it out.” Katara blushed.

“I’m sorry, Uncle,” she muttered guiltily. As she looked back, she knew she had been rambling nonsense. Of course they saw her as more than just the mother. And even if they didn’t, part of that had been her own fault. She had this compulsion to help in any way she could, and when she was with the group that had meant looking after the camp and keeping it running. Was it any wonder if the others didn’t see her in any other way? Thinking about it like that left a sour taste in her mouth. Aang had been the worst of all. He had been a child when she and Sokka had found him in the iceberg. By that point, she had grown so used to mothering Sokka it had only seemed natural to include Aang in that circle, given they were with each other day in, day out. She had tried to avoid doing that with Toph, at first, but when the fierce earthbender had pushed and bitten back, Katara simply gave in. By the time Zuko completed their pack, it was so ingrained into her she didn’t even think about it, despite her initial hostility towards the firebender. “I don’t know where that came from.”

“Anger,” Iroh replied simply. “It’s not always rational. But even the most stunning white jade flower needs the ugliest root.” He smiled at her knowingly, which Katara returned. She had lived with Iroh long enough to be able to decipher some of his proverbs (proverbs which she was sure were unique to Iroh). He was telling her that it was okay to be angry, to have an ugly side, as long as she didn’t let it spoil her. The roots were essential to the flower’s survival, and without the flower the roots would just wither and die having left no mark on the world. It was about not keeping her anger bottled up and letting it fester. She needed to find a healthy way to release that energy. It was about yin and yang…balance. She relayed her theory to Iroh, and he chuckled in his usual, affable manner. It hadn’t been exactly what he meant, but he found her interpretation interesting. “I can see I’m going to be a bad influence on you,” he grinned. They continued walking through the streets of Ba Sing Se, chatting idly, until Iroh’s ears perked up as he heard music coming from one of the parks. Curiosity piqued, Iroh and Katara wandered in.

A small group of women were clustered around one of the fountains, lit up by colourful lanterns floating in the water. Beside the group were a trio of musicians, beating out a slow, melodic tune that had drawn the two in. The women were dancing, arms raised and making sweeping motions and swaying serenely to the music. Some of the women carried fans, which reminded her of the Kyoshi Warriors, and all were dressed in long, colourful skirts that flowed behind them gracefully as they moved. Katara was mesmerised. They had arranged themselves so that each woman stood opposite a partner. She could almost feel the push and pull as she watched their routine. As one leapt forward, the other fell back mirroring her partner, and on it went. She felt a flutter in her chest. “They’re like waterbenders!” she gasped excitedly. She had only seen such a display once in the Northern Water Tribe, but that was certainly what it looked like to her. This wasn’t about simple combat, though, it was so much more. The dance told a tale, one full of emotion and passion. It stirred something in Katara, and she suddenly longed to be like them. It had been a long time since she had practiced her forms.

Katara eagerly approached the group after they finished their routine.

“That was incredible!” she gushed. “It was so moving.”

“Well…thank you. That’s really sweet of you,” one of the women, who introduced herself as Jin, blushed. Her brown hair was done up in a messy braid hanging down her back, and her large brown eyes sparkled at the compliment.

“It really reminded me of waterbending,” Katara continued. “I’m a waterbender myself, so I hope that’s not a weird thing to say…”

“Not at all,” Jin smiled at her. “Actually, I think a lot of the moves were inspired by waterbending. You should meet our dancemaster – she’s from the North Pole, like you!” Katara didn’t bother to correct her as Jin led her over to a smaller, elderly woman who still had all her wits and reflexes about her. Katara thought this was how she could imagine Toph being when she was at that age. It turned out that the display was a welcome, nightly sight for the citizens of the Middle Ring of Ba Sing Se who, like Katara and Iroh, had taken to the dusky streets for an evening stroll.

That was the first time Katara had realised just how far she and Iroh had walked. Katara had only recently just learned it was possible to cross the divide like that. It certainly hadn’t been the first time she had stayed there. Iroh explained that Ba Sing Se had changed for the better since the war. The cost of living still kept the Rings separated in practice, but the citizens were free to roam wherever they liked, although a Lower Ring citizen was still an incredibly rare sight in the Upper Ring. Once the war was over, many of the refugees from the Lower Ring had trickled back out to their former homes and begun rebuilding their lives. Katara quietly hoped that didn’t have anything to do with this relaxation of the rules. Maybe it was time she paid a visit to the Lower Ring. Maybe there was something she could do to help.

The next day, Iroh excused her from her duties in the tea shop and she took the train to the Lower Ring. As it turned out, there was plenty she could do to help. The river bank coursing through that part of the city had been dangerously neglected, and being ‘only’ Lower Ring citizens they had largely been left to their own devices to try and solve the problem. What they wanted to do was divert the river further away from people’s homes, because if the bank burst it would be a disaster. Everyone would lose everything if there was a flood. It had happened before, and the City had only stepped in to offer humanitarian relief but did nothing to try and stop it from happening again. But the people didn’t have the requisite tools or know-how, how could they? Much like when the Earth King had been a mere figurehead, they were getting no assistance whatsoever.

As a waterbender, Katara had a little expertise with this matter and offered her help which was gratefully received. This was when Katara really began to enjoy her new life. It gave her something to focus on, and new forms to practice because she had never done anything like this before. She was much more powerful now than when the so-called Freedom Fighters had burst a dam and destroyed the innocent Earth Kingdom village in the name of getting back at the Fire Nation.

She rushed home to talk to Iroh about it. Katara was still more than happy to help out in the shop, but would he mind excusing her in the afternoons so she could assist the people of the Lower Ring? Iroh just beamed at her and nodded. He had begun to earnestly think of Katara as his adopted niece, and he honestly couldn’t have been happier for her when she excitedly told him of their plans.

There were some earthbenders among the Lower Ring population, and together the small team got to work. It took them several weeks, such was the complexity of their project and the limited amount of time they all had to spare. The earthbenders had jobs of their own and families to support, and Katara had promised Iroh she wouldn’t let her responsibilities as his assistant fall to the wayside, albeit she could now only help out in the mornings. The afternoons and early evenings were spent down by the river with the earthbenders. Ashamed as she was to admit it, she also found it was really nice being recognised by them as Katara the master waterbender and not just Katara the Avatar’s girl. Was that really shallow? Was that unfair? Luckily for Katara, she was so busy she didn’t really have time to dwell on it.

After a hard day’s work, as night fell over the city, Katara would take the train up to the Middle Ring. It had been Iroh’s suggestion that she go for more strolls and explore the city to wind down before heading back to the apartment. Katata eagerly followed his advice. She continually found herself back in the park where she had seen the dancers, and settled down to watch, completely enthralled. Jin seemed to have taken a shine to her, and always waved her over once their routine had finished. Katara liked Jin. She was open, friendly and incredibly easy to talk to. As much as Katara adored Iroh, it was also nice having a friend her own age. When Jin invited Katara to join them for drinks one evening, Katara eagerly accepted.

“So what brings you to Ba Sing Se?” Jin asked. The dancers had spread themselves out around the tavern, a bright and lively place on the border between the Upper and Middle Rings. Katara and Jin had decided to stay sat at the bar and get to know each other while the rest of Jin’s troupe milled around socialising.

“Uh, it’s kind of a long story…” Katara told her uncertainly.

“I have plenty of time,” Jin assured her. “But you don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to.” Katara shook her head. She felt fine to talk about it. Jin didn’t seem like the sort to be judgemental, and it wasn’t as if Katara had to go into any great detail. It wasn’t lost on her how messed up it was that Katara felt comfortable sharing with a relative stranger when she felt she couldn’t confide in any of her friends or Sokka.

“Well, I guess I’m here _now_ because I just broke up with someone,” Katara admitted.

“Oh honey, I’m so sorry!” Jin replied.

“It’s okay, I think it was for the best.”

“Heh, you were probably way too good for him,” Jin smiled, taking a sip of her beer. Katara followed suit. She found she didn’t really like beer. But she had had so little liquor in her life, she had just ordered what Jin had, not knowing what else was even available and not wanting to show herself up as a clueless little girl who had no business being there. “So do you have family here or something?”

“Uh, not exactly…well, we were in Ba Sing Se when we broke up and I ran into an old friend.” Katara thought for a moment. “He’s actually the uncle of one of my other old friends. He…he took me in.”

“Oh was that the guy you were with when you first saw us?” Katara nodded. “I thought for sure you guys were related!”

“He’s kind of like my adopted uncle,” Katara smiled.

“That is so _cute_!” Jin gushed. “Seriously. I can’t think of anyone who would do that for me. Outside of my own family, I mean.”

“I knew him in the war,” Katara explained. She didn’t want to elaborate too much. Much like in the Lower Ring, Katara was enjoying the anonymity that not hanging off Aang’s arm gave her. The people she met and befriended just saw her as Katara, and liked her for _her_.

“I guess I wouldn’t really know about that,” Jin sighed. “We were all kept in the dark about what was going on the other side of the walls. Other than the refugees, we had no idea anything was even wrong.”

“And just how did they explain away the refugees?” Katara asked curiously.

“Well, at first they blamed it on natural disasters,” Jin explained. Katara raised her eyebrows. “Honestly it seemed like the whole country was collapsing into the earth, with how many of them came in every single day. I was sixteen when the war ended. I probably should have known better. I knew _something_ was going on, but…not what.”

“It’s not your fault you were lied to,” Katara reasoned.

“I guess not,” Jin sighed, not convinced. “Anyway, I’m sorry, I didn’t invite you here tonight to talk about the war. I have a small confession to make…I love learning about other cultures. So when you said you were a waterbender, I really wanted to get to know you. I hope that’s not creepy.”

“Not for me,” Katara shrugged, taking another long sip of her beer. She had figured out that if she drank it in bigger gulps, she wouldn’t have to taste so much of it. It tasted just as bitter no matter how much or little she took at a time. “Honestly, it makes a nice change. Usually everyone is obsessed with airbending. Which is fair, I guess, but-”

“Hold up, hold up,” Jin cut her off. “Airbending? You know the Avatar?!” Her mouth gaped in surprise, and Katara stiffened. ‘Crap! I didn’t mean to let that slip,’ Katara thought. Jin’s expression suddenly changed again. “I am so sorry! We were talking about you.”

“It’s okay,” Katara smiled.

“I just got a little carried away,” Jin giggled. “Tell me _all_ about the North Pole. What was it like growing up there?”

“I’m actually from the South Pole,” Katara clarified.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I just assumed. You said you were a waterbender, and…wait…you’re _that_ Katara?” Katara sighed and reluctantly nodded her head. “It is such an honour to meet you!” Jin gushed. “Wait till I tell the others!”

“Jin…would it be okay if we kept this between us?” Katara asked quietly. Jin looked at her in surprise. “Aang…the Avatar…he’s the one I just broke up with. Or, he broke up with me. And I just…I don’t know, it sounds stupid, but…”

“You want people to get to know Katara, not the Avatar’s ex-girlfriend,” Jin said, nodding in understanding. “Say no more. I completely get it.”

“Really?” Katara breathed in relief. She could feel the effects of the beer now. Her head felt like it was beginning to spin, and she longed to pull Jin into a deep hug of gratefulness. Whatever that was. “You have no idea how much that means to me.”

“Trust me, I get it,” Jin promised. Katara raised her eyebrows questioningly. Jin giggled. “I, uh, haven’t told many people this, but I feel like I owe you a secret.” Katara didn’t think she did, but she was intrigued so remained silent. “I…sort of dated the Fire Lord…before he _was_ the Fire Lord, I mean.” Katara almost spat her beer back out, and started coughing with laughter.

“What?!” she gasped.

“He told me his name was Lee,” Jin giggled sheepishly. “We only went out on one date. I thought he was an Earth Kingdom refugee. He seemed so…unsure, but really, really sweet! Imagine my surprise when I found out who he was.” It had been pure chance, really. When the newly crowned Fire Lord had come to visit Ba Sing Se, Jin had caught a glimpse of him and recognised him instantly.

“Okay, I am going to need all of those details,” Katara implored her. “But do you want to know something really weird?”

“What?”

“His uncle…is the one I’m staying with.” Both in their cups, the two women found this series of bizarre coincidences hilarious, and burst out laughing.

“Honey, I think you and I are going to be really good friends,” Jin beamed at her. Katara couldn’t agree more. They clinked their glasses together. The topic found itself back at their childhoods, and Katara explained that she was the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe, and she couldn’t blame Jin for assuming she was from the North. Jin in turn told her that she had spent almost all of her life behind the walls of Ba Sing Se. Her mother had been offered a prestigious position within the Earth King’s court once he had assumed control from the Dai Li, and that had boosted Jin’s family from the Lower Ring to the Upper Ring. It also meant they had more money to spend on travel, but Jin had still never left the Earth Kingdom, and was genuinely fascinated by some of Katara’s stories. Katara, for her part, found Jin’s own upbringing fascinating. They had both led such incredibly different lives, and yet in its own twisted way, destiny had seen fit to subtly intertwine their paths.

As they spent more nights out together, Katara also slowly got to know the other women in Jin’s troupe, but Jin was the only one she would call her friend. The others were acquaintances, at best. In a strange way, though, this was almost better for Katara. She felt she could let loose around them as they didn’t have any expectations of her. She knew that wasn’t fair to her friends, at all, and she didn’t know why she felt that way. Perhaps she had just been apart from them for so long, she assumed they would all behave the way Aang had.

All that said, she was very glad that her friends weren’t there to witness when she met Larnak, a non-bender from the Northern Water Tribe. He had been exceptionally charming…and Katara, in a moment of loneliness and weakness, had let herself fall for his charms, if only for one night. When she woke up in his arms the next morning, she couldn’t help but feel she had made a massive mistake. But she also didn’t feel guilty. At all. She was her own woman now. Even if her Tribe did follow the same strict customs as the North (which, she noted bitterly, didn’t seem to apply to the men, of course), she was in Ba Sing Se. The city of secrets. Apart from Jin, she told no-one of the encounter, and reasoned this was just another secret the city could keep.

On Katara’s days off, she spirited herself away to practice waterbending. She had found that many of the dancers’ forms could be translated to waterbending. She’d never win a fight using just these moves, of course, but it evoked in Katara a newfound appreciation for her element and just what she could do with it. She practiced her waterbending on her own either at fountains in quiet corners of the parks or the canal outside of the hustle and bustle of the Upper Ring, switching between styles. She didn’t know how it looked to outsiders, but manipulating the water using these new forms made her feel…feminine and powerful. It had been the longest time since she could remember feeling like that, even before everything had happened with Aang. The confidence that had been shattered by Aang’s sudden departure slowly built back up and Katara knew it was those moments helping out and practicing that had done the real healing.

As for Iroh, Katara really owed him for giving her this. When she went shopping, she kept an eye out for trinkets, curios and the occasional exotic tea she could bring back to add to his collection. The latter was Iroh’s favourite. He kept insisting she didn’t need to get him gifts, and she kept insisting it was what friends did. It hadn’t occurred to her that a large part of Iroh’s joy for these items was in their discovery. The darker and more abandoned the corner it came from, the better. He had never admitted this to Katara, but she had noticed how he lit up whenever he spotted something she would have picked for him when they went on outings together. She resolved from then on to just invite Iroh instead as he enjoyed it a lot more that way.

It sometimes felt strange to think of Iroh as a friend and not her actual uncle, but it was what they had become as the weeks went by. They shared a lot of laughter, tea and games of Pai Sho when Katara came back for the night. It reminded her of the best of her travelling days, when they had all been gathered at the end of a hard day joking, exchanging stories and just enjoying each other’s company. When Zuko joined, tea had also become part of their shared ritual and for once Katara had never been expected to do all the work. When teased about this, Zuko had sullenly mumbled something about his uncle being a ‘bad influence’ on him. She had to stifle a giggle when she thought of the dynamic Iroh must have had with the prickly firebender during their own time together. Iroh let out a loud, roaring laugh when Katara mentioned that to him. He told her of one of the worst things Zuko had ever said, when he had loudly stated that _all_ tea was just hot leaf juice. Katara couldn’t help but giggle again.

“Well…technically he is right,” Katara teased. Iroh simply looked at the floor and shook his head, before disappearing into the kitchen muttering about ‘bad influences’ and ‘what was wrong with the youth of today’ while Katara continued giggling. She could really see the resemblance between uncle and nephew sometimes.

****

Iroh wandered around the empty apartment, yawning and stretching. The sun was high in the sky and he marvelled at how he had slept so long. He found a note from Katara on the dining table, saying she had gone down early to help open up the tea shop and she hadn’t wanted to disturb him. He mentally chastised her for running around looking after him again, but smiled. At least this time he knew it wasn’t that she was just trying to stay on his good side. He had never wanted her to feel like she had to ‘earn her keep’, he would have been happy to help anyway, but Katara’s pride wouldn’t have let her if she didn’t do something. That was why he had suggested she help him with the shop. Like Iroh, the waterbender was like a butterfly-moth to a flame when it came to helping people. It hadn’t surprised him in the least when Katara had asked if he could spare her to help with the river in the Lower Ring. That was all finished now and Katara was back to working full-time in the tea shop, but it was obvious how much brighter she was compared to two months ago.

He had gone out last night for an evening of music, drinks and some rather heated rounds of Pai Sho and it must have been later than he realised when he got back. Or rather, stumbled back. Iroh couldn’t hold his liquor as well as he had been able to. He hoped his snoring hadn’t disturbed her – those walls were thin.

As he got dressed and prepared to venture down, a loud tapping sound caught his attention. There was a messenger hawk pecking insistently at the window. Messenger hawks had increasingly become more commonplace within Ba Sing Se, but this was clearly a Fire Nation hawk. It must be from Zuko. He let the bird in, stroking it tenderly as he freed the message from the hawk’s pouch. It was emblazoned with the royal seal, confirming his theory. He hadn’t heard from his nephew at all since he had hastily written back that he would ‘keep an eye out’ for Katara and Aang and invite them to Ember Island. Zuko’s invitation had arrived a mere few days after Katara had moved in. As she was still heartbroken, Iroh hadn’t felt it was the right time to announce that Zuko was trying to plan a reunion. Then as the weeks went on, Iroh had simply forgotten to bring it up. Zuko’s new message quickly jolted him to that reality, and he slapped his forehead, sighing at his forgetfulness.

Zuko just wanted to confirm when the airship to transport Iroh to Ember Island would be arriving in Ba Sing Se. Other than some pleasantries about how Zuko hoped the shop was doing well, that was it. His nephew was always a man of few words and to the point. Iroh hoped vainly he had been able to talk that out him, but some things never changed. Maybe he really just didn’t have any other news.

Iroh decided he had better hurry downstairs and talk to Katara before it slipped his mind again. The invitation had been a standing one, and in any event Iroh was certain Zuko would be thrilled if Katara could join them.

He found her hard at work in the shop as usual. She was currently washing up the platters from previous patrons. He called her into the backroom, and heard a small squeak of surprise. He had noticed that when she thought no-one was looking, she would speed up the rinsing process with her waterbending. He suspected he had been about to ‘catch her in the act’. He didn’t know why she kept it hidden. A quizzical expression visible on her face, Katara followed, still holding a soap-studded tray.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Iroh began sheepishly, gesturing for her to put her tray down. “I’m sorry I didn’t mention it sooner, it completely slipped my mind. I’ve just had a message from Zuko.”

“Oh, how is he?”

“He’s fine…I presume. He didn’t really say much.” Katara grinned. Yes, that sounded like Zuko. “I’m going to Ember Island next month, with Zuko and Ursa and her family.”

“Iroh, that sounds great!” Katara beamed at him. He deserved a break, and she knew he sometimes found it difficult to be so far away from his family. “Did you want me to watch the shop for you while you’re gone?”

“No, no,” Iroh chuckled. “I have all the help I need.” Katara’s heart sank slightly. She thought she knew what was coming next. This was Iroh’s nice way of hinting it was time for her to move on. It had already been two months. Maybe it _was_ time to go home. Katara wasn’t worried about having to explain what had happened anymore, she had made her peace with that. But it still wasn’t ideal. The fact of the matter was, she just didn’t feel there was anything in the South Pole for her anymore. It felt like taking a huge step back when everybody else had moved on. But, she supposed, Sokka had managed it. Maybe she could find a way to be at peace with that too. And there was no telling what might happen on the journey. Fate had thrown her to Iroh, after all. Literally. She knew she would miss this life though. And Jin. Perhaps they could write, even visit each other? Jin was always talking about how she wanted to see more of the world. The South Pole was about as far from Ba Sing Se as one could travel.

“Zuko asked me to invite you to join us. He told me that your brother and Suki will be there,” Iroh continued, snapping Katara out of her mental ramble. Sokka? “And Toph, too.”

“Toph?!” Katara exclaimed. Wow. She hadn’t seen Toph in a long, long time. They had had their petty squabbles, but she adored the girl.

“Of course,” Iroh smiled. “What do you think? Can you spare the time?”

Katara didn’t need to think twice. “I would love to!” she beamed, running across the room to give Iroh a hug. He stumbled slightly at the force, but gladly wrapped his arms around her. She pulled away, babbling: “And you know what, I’ve realised something. I’m…I’m ready to face them, well not _face_ them but I’m ready to tell them what happened between me and Aang. I am. It’s time they knew the truth. Not that either of us really did anything wrong but you know I was just always so worried about it, I mean he’s the _Avatar_ and…” She trailed off, aware of just how _much_ she had been babbling.

“You should give your friends more credit, Katara,” Iroh advised. “I think they would understand.”

Katara agreed. “Well, now I can. Thanks to you.” She began pondering aloud about what to pack, and did she have time to make some new dresses. The Fire Nation had a very different climate to what she was used to, and she had really loved the clothes. Maybe she could make something in Fire Nation style but with Water Tribe colours?

Iroh sighed. He hated to burst her bubble, but there was one possibility she hadn’t considered. He had to say it now, though. It wouldn’t be fair on her if he didn’t and she was met with an unpleasant surprise on arrival.

“And…if Aang is there as well?” he asked, watching Katara’s face fall with a quiet “oh…” So he had been right. She really hadn’t considered that.

“Do you think he will be?” Katara asked nervously.

“I doubt it,” Iroh admitted. “I’m sure Zuko would have said something if he was. He did ask me to invite both of you, but we don’t know where he is.” That much was true, Katara thought. Part of her felt bad for Aang in a way. He was the only one who wasn’t going to be there, and he would have loved to have been part of it. He was probably busy anyway. It also occurred to her that if things hadn’t happened the way they did, there was a decent chance that if Aang hadn’t gone, Katara would have missed out as well. She would have chosen to stay with him, like a good girlfriend. It had been Aang’s decision to throw that away by flying off and just leaving her instead of staying and talking like an adult. He was seventeen now, old enough that him running away wasn’t just a cute, childlike quirk of his, as well as expecting Katara to be there to pick up the pieces like his mother. He hadn’t come back for three days. By the fourth day, Katara had made a decision of her own.

She couldn’t feel guilty about this, she wouldn’t. Zuko had invited them both. Aang wasn’t being left out, he just wasn’t around. And if he _was_ there…well. She was going to have to face him eventually too. She had no idea what the future held, but Aang being the Avatar meant their paths were sure to cross again. At least this way they would be surrounded by mutual friends. It wouldn’t be like the last time they had spoken. The only other time she had seen Aang get so mad was when Appa had been kidnapped. She had hoped to never have to see that side of him again.

Resolved, Katara spoke: “You know what, it’s okay if he is. I guess I have to talk to Aang eventually too, huh?” She sounded confident, but her stomach was doing somersaults at the thought. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t going to let that fear override her excitement at seeing her friends again. Not this time. “Please tell Zuko I’ll be there!” she smiled, cheerily dancing off back to work with a new skip in her step.

Iroh returned to the apartment to draft his reply, deep in thought. It wasn’t quite true, what he had said about not knowing where Aang was. Iroh could only venture a guess, but he supposed it likely that the Avatar was somewhere near the South Pole.

About a month before, Aang had stopped by the tea shop. Katara had been out shopping at the time. Aang had seemed his usual self, regaling Iroh with tales of his latest adventure and updating him about the air acolytes. He then confessed the real reason for his visit. He didn’t go into detail the way Katara had, but he had admitted to Iroh that they had had a bad fight and he needed to talk to her. Had Iroh seen her?

It would have been so easy to tell Aang that Katara was staying with him, and was out shopping. It would have been so easy to have invited him to wait. But something in his gut told him that this wouldn’t be the right thing to do. He took in the bright and beaming Avatar before him, and remembered that this was the same Avatar who had broken Katara’s heart. The same Avatar who had got so angry with her, he had almost gone into the Avatar State right there in the royal palace. Had Aang threatened her? Iroh really didn’t want to believe it, but he imagined seeing that and not knowing if he would lose control must have been terrifying for her.

And he thought about Katara, who had only just accepted what had happened, who had spent years of her life chasing after him and looking after him and cleaning up his messes, who had been deeply hurt by him. It hadn’t sounded like a particularly happy relationship for her at the end, and every instinct told him not to let the two come together again, not then. Why had it taken Aang so many weeks to come looking for her if he cared that much? Why hadn’t he seemed the least bit sad or guilty about the fact they had broken up? Something about the whole situation just didn’t smell right to Iroh. He had simply told Aang that, yes, he had seen Katara on her way to the South Pole. It was the truth.

And then off Aang went, presumably to begin the long journey to the Southern Water Tribe. He hadn’t heard from him since, and he had never told Katara about his visit.

Iroh could live with the consequences if that was the wrong decision. He still felt it hadn’t been. He had only been trying to protect Katara. Because he knew what would happen. Katara wouldn’t be able to help herself. If the Avatar summoned her, back then she would have gone running, no matter how unhappy it might have made her. Had Katara been around, he would have left the decision to her, and he did feel some remorse for not even giving her the choice. She seemed better for it, in Iroh’s opinion. He didn’t think he had ever seen Katara quite like this, even during the many times they had met after the war. She seemed so…free. Besides if it _was_ Aang and Katara’s destiny to be together, nothing Iroh did would be able to keep them apart for long. He had only wanted to do his bit to ensure that when it happened, Katara would rule with her head and not with her grief.

He glanced back down at the parchment, only just realising how lost in his thoughts he had been. He wouldn’t tell Zuko of the circumstances, that wasn’t his story to tell, he would just let him know that he would be bringing Katara with him and that Aang couldn’t make it. That would have to do.

It was a pity about Momo, though.


	3. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reunion has finally arrived but questions abound as to Aang's whereabouts, and Katara finds comfort from an unexpected source.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender (do I need to do this for every chapter? I've been out of the fanfiction circuit for a while...)
> 
> Thanks so much again for the comments, kudos and bookmarks! I probably won't be able to regularly update twice a week. I won't lie, I've stalled a little bit with this fic down the line because I decided that writing two stories at the same time was a great idea, and the second story is kind of taking over at the moment. But I'll keep at it because I do have lots of plans for 'Embers' and the series it will eventually be a part of.

As the airship began descending towards Ember Island, Katara’s face was glued to the window, her hands pressed against the glass. Iroh was enjoying his last cup of “airship tea” before they landed. The island stretched out before them. From this altitude, the enticing deep jade sea sparkled like emeralds as the sun’s rays danced across the surface. It looked so inviting and she couldn’t wait to jump in later. The island itself was dotted with ivory stretches of sand, and she could just about make out the people milling around far below on the beaches and in the towns. Houses and small settlements clung to the lush, forested hills that made up the greater part of Ember Island, and Katara breathed a sigh of contentment. They were finally here, the day had finally arrived! She could imagine the looks on the others’ faces when she climbed out of the airship, and she longed to hug her stupid older brother more than anything.

Since there wasn’t a large enough area to land at the house itself, they would be making use of the private dock at the bottom of the cliff, which itself was large enough to accommodate the airship. She could see a small crowd gathered on the pier. It was them. She turned back to Iroh who was looking pretty content himself. “Iroh, I can never thank you enough for bringing me here!” Katara gushed. Iroh beamed at her and raised his teacup in salute.

“It was Zuko’s idea,” he reminded her, taking his last sip.

The landing seemed to take forever, and Katara supposed it was much trickier manoeuvring a large hulk of steel and glass than it was guiding Appa. She was impatient to see everyone. It was also a much bumpier landing than she had ever experienced on the sky bison, but she was too excited to care. The two stood at the door together. Katara could her hear heart thumping in her ears. This was it. She was so close.

She hoped they would understand…

Iroh squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. “Ready?” he smiled down at her.

“Ready,” she replied with determination.

The light was blinding when the doors first opened. Iroh stepped out first, and Katara heard Zuko shout: “Uncle!” as he pulled the older man in for a hug. Everyone else in the welcome party crowded around the pair, and more greetings and hugs were exchanged. Katara caught Zuko’s eye as she stepped down the ramp and he smiled at her. He noticed that her hair was still done up in Fire Nation style, her long tresses loose save for a small knot at the back of her head. She hadn’t really changed it since their time travelling in the Fire Nation. It suited her.

Katara spotted her brother instantly, who was completely oblivious to the fact that his sister was standing right there. “Sokka!” she cried out, running towards him and he yelped in surprise as she embraced him.

“ _Katara?!_ What are _you_ doing here?” Sokka practically squealed, holding her tight. Suddenly all of the attention turned to her as Suki and Toph joined in for a group hug.

“You never said you were coming!”

“You kept _that_ quiet, Sugar Queen!”

When Katara managed to disentangle herself, she approached Zuko and pulled him in for a hug as well. “Thanks for doing this, Zuko! It’s good to see you.”

“You too,” he replied, unable to quash a small smile. Behind them, Sokka was scanning the pier, twisting his neck dramatically from side to side.

“Hey, where’s Aang?” he exclaimed. Katara’s eyes widened and she felt a rush of nervous butterflies gathering in her stomach. Zuko felt her stiffen and let her go, curious. She stuttered, desperately trying to think of an excuse, when Iroh jumped in.

“Unfortunately, the Avatar couldn’t make it,” he told the group. “So I told Katara she could travel with me.” Sokka frowned and turned to Katara, eyeing her up suspiciously. She gulped nervously, trying to meet his hard stare. Then Sokka shrugged.

“Ah well, that’s too bad,” he said. Toph, unremarked by everyone, was still frowning. Iroh was lying about something, she could feel it.

“Hey, wait a minute…” Sokka rounded on a startled Zuko, pointing an accusing finger at him. “Did you know she would be here?” Zuko rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

“Uh…maybe?”

“Why didn’t you _say_ something?” Suki, Sokka and Toph had arrived in the Fire Nation yesterday and they had all travelled together with Zuko by boat from the Fire Nation capital. He had toyed with telling them Katara would be meeting them on the island. Truthfully, he had wanted it to be a surprise, especially for Sokka, but suddenly he felt very silly admitting that.

“I think it’s what we on Kyoshi Island call a surprise, Sokka,” Suki quipped helpfully, kissing him on the cheek. Sokka wilted as Suki threw Zuko a meaningful look. He nodded gratefully at her.

Katara finally turned to greet Ursa and Noren, exchanging pleasantries. They didn’t really know each other well enough to hug yet, but Ursa clasped Katara’s hands in hers with a warm smile. Below them, there was the small sound of someone clearing their throat.

“Kiyi!” Katara stooped down to hug the little girl, who returned it eagerly. “Don’t worry,” Katara whispered to Kiyi conspiratorially. “I saved my favourite for last.”

“I should hope so!” Kiyi retorted, grabbing Katara’s hand. The little girl stretched her other palm out towards Iroh and then positively _marched_ them back up the path to the house, chattering excitedly the whole way.

The Fire Lord’s summer residence looked very different compared to the last time any of them had been there. From the outside, it was clear that some basic repair work had taken place, and inside the palatial home was practically gleaming. Everything had been polished and cleaned, new furniture adorned the rooms, and the whole place was bright and airy. On the lounge wall, a new family portrait hung depicting Iroh, Zuko, Ursa, Noren and Kiyi. Unlike the solemn old family portrait, they were smiling. The whole atmosphere was a far cry from the dust, dark and musk that decorated the house just before Sozin’s Comet. Zuko had obviously put a lot of work into rejuvenating it. Or at least, he had arranged for a lot of work to be put into rejuvenating it.

Once Katara and Iroh had been given a tour and shown to their respective rooms, it was almost time for dinner. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm orange glow over the whole island. Katara didn’t realise how late it had gotten. Frolicking in the sea would have to wait until tomorrow. 

Katara, for once, wasn’t expected to cook as Zuko had hired a local chef to take care of their meals during their stay. They took their dinner outside on the veranda where a large dining table had been set up. They enjoyed typical Fire Nation fare, talking and laughing. The spices were a bit much for Katara and Toph, but Sokka seemed to regard it as a personal challenge to be able to eat anything Zuko ate. He practically had steam coming out of his ears after accidentally ingesting a particularly hot chilli, which caused everyone to laugh again. Zuko pointed out that you weren’t actually supposed to eat those chillies, and even he wouldn’t eat them. Sokka took this as a victory and promptly declared himself the Mouth-Fire Lord, to much groaning from everyone, but Zuko and Suki in particular. His smugness was quickly broken up by gasping and panting from the inferno on his tongue, which took away his triumph somewhat.

As night fell, they all retired into the lounge. When Iroh brought the liquor out for a toast, Ursa and Noren quickly decided that it was Kiyi’s bedtime, despite the girl’s ardent protests. They headed to bed not long afterwards themselves, having had a tiring day of travelling from Hira’a.

As well as the brandy Iroh had brought, the drinks cabinet in the house was decently stocked with rice wine, firewine, firewhiskey and various others. Sokka and Suki were reclining on one of the sofas, giggling to themselves about something or other, while the others crowded around the small table enjoying an animated game of cards which Katara had picked up in Ba Sing Se. Zuko had been reluctant to play but was badgered into it by Iroh. Katara and Iroh hadn’t had many chances to play games meant for more than two players, and Zuko had to admit it was an improvement on the endless Pai Sho games that usually plagued him when his uncle was around. Toph ‘watched’ them play with quiet amusement, pondering over what Iroh had lied about earlier. It had to be to do with Aang ‘not being able to make it’. It was strange that Aang was busy and yet Katara had been able to find the time and leave him to it, which was most unlike her. Something bad must have happened between them and Iroh, for whatever reason, had felt the need to protect Katara from having to spill the truth. Iroh must be in the know or he wouldn’t have lied. As much as Toph enjoyed putting people on the spot and making them nervous, she decided to save her interrogation until later, in private.

As it turned out, Toph didn’t have to wait that long. After Katara, Iroh and Zuko had finished playing their game, Sokka piped up: “So where is Aang anyway? How come he couldn’t make it?” Toph listened intently, and she could feel Katara’s pulse quicken.

“Uh…” Katara stammered, acutely aware that all eyes were on her. She could almost feel Toph’s piercing gaze boring into her, just daring her to lie. Katara unconsciously looked to Iroh, who nodded encouragingly at her. Katara took a deep breath. She had to come clean eventually. She supposed that this was it. “To tell you the truth, I don’t know,” she said finally, looking at the floor to avoid their stares. “Aang and I…we’ve gone our separate ways. We broke up.” Someone audibly gasped, but Katara couldn’t tell who. She wished at this moment that she could just sink into the floor and escape.

The stunned silence that fell over the room at Katara’s announcement was broken when Sokka loudly burst out: “ _What?!”_ with his mouth agape. Suki quickly shushed him and prodded him in the ribs, turning to Katara with a concerned expression on her face.

“What happened?” Suki asked gently.

“We…had a fight,” Katara shrugged, not wanting to elaborate. By now, Sokka had recovered himself.

“When did this happen?” he asked. Oh…Katara hadn’t thought of that. She had been so worried about telling Sokka _what_ had happened, the when – and why she had stayed quiet about it for so long – hadn’t even crossed her mind.

She looked up at him guiltily, and replied with a small tremor in her voice: “Three months ago.”

“Three _months?!_ ” Now it was Toph’s turn to express her shock. “Wow…you really _did_ keep that quiet, Sugar Queen.”

“Oh, Katara, I’m so sorry!” Suki gasped. She disentangled herself from Sokka and threw her arms around Katara. “Are you okay?” Katara nodded into Suki’s shoulder. She was okay…now.

“But what happened?” Sokka asked. Suki pulled away and threw a warning look at Sokka, but he didn’t notice.

“I don’t really want to talk about it,” Katara said pleadingly.

“But why didn’t you say anything? Where have you been all this time?” Sokka pressed.

“Well…we were in Ba Sing Se when it happened. I was going to come home but I ran into Iroh, and…he said I could stay with him. So I did.” Zuko glanced questioningly at Iroh, but his uncle just put up a hand and shook his head. They would need to talk about it later. Toph and Sokka joined the two women on the floor and they all embraced Katara. Zuko watched them, feeling awkward.

“Get over here, Grumble Lord!” Toph chided. Assuming she meant him, Zuko did as he was told, bemused by his nickname. That was a new one. He hoped that, like the various others he had been christened with, this one didn’t stick.

Iroh took this as his cue to leave. “I’ll give you kid some time to talk,” he announced cheerily. “I fancied a night-time stroll anyway.” The group wished him good night as he left the room. They pulled out of the group hug, and Katara felt all eyes on her again. Toph could tell how nervous she was, and decided to rescue her.

“Give the woman some space,” she said, and they drew away, gathering around the table. Sokka, however, was not prepared to let it drop so easily. Toph would have been proud of his interrogation skills if she couldn’t feel the waterbender next to her squirming. Making people squirm was her thing, and right now Toph just felt sorry for her.

“ _Why_ didn’t you come home, Katara?”

“Come on, Sokka, you know what it’s like there now. It’s not home anymore.” Sokka looked crestfallen as she said this, which only made Katara feel worse. She hadn’t meant to let that slip. Sokka had always taken the development of the South Pole better than her. He appreciated the progress they had made and felt little need to cling to the old ways for the sake of it. “Obviously I really miss you and dad and Gran-Gran!” Katara added hurriedly. “But when Iroh invited me to stay in Ba Sing Se, it just…felt like the right thing for me.”

“But you didn’t even write! You didn’t say anything. I haven’t heard from you in months.”

“What was I supposed to write?” Katara argued, feeling her emotions bubble to the surface. “Hi Sokka, so me and Aang broke up and I’m heartbroken, but Ba Sing Se sure is lovely this time of year, hope things are cool with you?” Sokka gaped at her incredulously.

“Yes!” Sokka burst out exasperated. “That’s _exactly_ what you could have said!” Put like that, Katara realised he had a point.

“You’re right,” she admitted. “I _could_ have done that. I’m sorry, Sokka. I guess I just thought…” She paused, and looked around at her friends. “I was worried that…you might not understand. And I didn’t want to burden any of you, and when Iroh offered it just…seemed easier for me. I’m sorry if that was selfish.”

“It wasn’t selfish,” Suki said. “You did what was right for you. Right, Sokka?” Sokka nodded in agreement.

“It’s not like we were expecting you,” he reasoned. “You didn’t let anyone down. I just wish you’d talked to me.”

“I know.”

“Don’t feel like you have to keep it bottled up,” Suki added. “We’re your friends, we’ll understand.” Katara still wasn’t sure that they would, once they knew the whole truth. She wanted more than anything to keep that secret. But her wish wasn’t going to be granted that night, as Sokka kept on.

“But what _happened_?” he asked.

“We had a fight, I told you.”

“But how? Why? You two always seemed so strong.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Katara begged. It was all getting too much now. Her head pounded in time with her heartbeat and she could feel her face heat up as tears threatened to spill over.

“Sokka, maybe you should-” Zuko began, but was outspoken. Sokka’s voice had begun to echo in Katara’s head. He was like a polar-bear-dog with a bone – he just wouldn’t let it go.

_“Why won’t you tell us?”_

_“Did Aang_ hurt _you?”_

“No!” she said desperately, feeling completely overwhelmed. She was on the edge, she really couldn’t take much more of this.

 _“So what’s the big secret? Why won’t you tell us? You must have told Iroh, right? Just_ tell _us_ - _”_

“Damnit, Sokka, I said I _don’t_ want to _talk_ about it!” Katara snapped. Hurt and confusion flashed across Sokka’s face, and her eyes started stinging. She had lost control. She stood up hurriedly, avoiding all of their stares. “I’m sorry, everyone, please excuse me,” she muttered thickly, and ran out of the room into the courtyard. Her tears were in free-flow now and she just had to get away. ‘I am the _worst_ ,’ she thought guiltily. She began to wander aimlessly through the grounds.

After a short walk, she found a koi pond that sat at the edge of the forest which enclosed the house, and she collapsed onto the grass, hugging her knees to her chest. That had gone about as well as a komodo-rhino running a tea shop. She thought of Sokka’s hurt and confused expression when she had shouted at him, a pang in her heart. He didn’t deserve that. Why had she let her temper get the better of her? Why was she so afraid of answering his questions?

‘You know why,’ she told herself. It had been for the same reason she had been too afraid to reach out to any of them after she and Aang had broken up. The truth was…not good, and even if she’d wanted to lie, that was impossible with Toph there. Coming here had been a mistake. She should have just stayed in Ba Sing Se and let them enjoy their vacation without her. It would have been better for all of them. They could have had a great time, just friends around the table together. They didn’t need _her_ to come in and lose it at them and spoil everyone’s good time.

Katara leant forward and looked into the water. She hoped it might calm her but there was nothing to be seen. If there were any koi in the pond right now, they were doing a good job of hiding. Her reflection just stared back at her miserably. She looked like an absolute mess. Her hair had waved and frizzed out of control from the humidity, and it was obvious she had been crying. Katara sighed and closed her eyes. She really didn’t care about her hair, but this was another of those moments where she wished she was better at pretending everything was okay. And it should have been okay. It had been three months. She had barely thought about Aang since Iroh had passed on the invitation. She had been so happy and excited at the thought of seeing them…before she went and ruined everything because Sokka had had the gall to act concerned for his sister. She would have to apologise as soon as she composed herself and went back indoors. She splashed some water onto her face in an attempt to steady and soothe her nerves, but it had little effect. At least it was refreshing.

****

After a few very awkward moments of silence, except for Suki and Sokka talking in hushed whispers to each other, Zuko volunteered to go and check on Katara. It shouldn’t be Sokka, not after what had just happened. Suki would have been the best placed to comfort their friend, but she was too preoccupied with trying to talk Sokka down. He lit a small fire in the palm of his hand as he crossed the courtyard, trying to spot Katara’s tell-tale blue dress.

He found her sitting next to the koi pond, which was illuminated by the moonlight. He approached her hesitantly, not sure if she wanted company. He had felt her stiffen earlier when Sokka had mentioned Aang’s whereabouts. ‘I guess now I know why,’ he thought.

“Hey,” he said quietly so as not to startle her. She jumped anyway. She turned her head and spotted him.

“Zuko?”

“Do you…mind if I join you?” he asked.

“Sure,” she nodded and turned away from him, staring back into the pond. She shook herself as he sat down beside her on her right, crossing his legs. His outstretched palm still cradled the small fire. He stared into the pond himself, but kept throwing side-glances at her as they sat in silence. The pleasant summer breeze rustled the leaves in the trees, and he could hear the ocean breaking onto the shore on the beach below them. Had it not been for the fact that Katara was upset, it would have been a very peaceful moment.

“This was always my favourite part of the garden,” he confessed, trying to break the tension. Katara nodded.

“It’s a nice spot,” she agreed. She sat up properly and turned to face him. His scar was still visible in the moonlight, although it was mostly covered by his hair. It was Fire Nation tradition to grow it long but Zuko had never felt compelled to do so since taking the throne. He still wore the top-knot when he was carrying out Fire Lord duties, but in private he liked to leave it loose. He wasn’t sure even within himself whether that was to do with the scar. Logically he could hardly afford to be really self-conscious about it, given his position after all. He just preferred it this way.

“I’m sorry, Zuko,” Katara began. He turned to look at her. “For my outburst in there. I’ve probably ruined everyone’s evening.”

“It’s okay,” Zuko said quietly, shrugging. “I think Sokka was pushing it too far.”

“No…he wasn’t. He was just worried. I shouldn’t have yelled at him.”

“We’re all worried about you,” he replied. “You have to admit, this was unexpected.” Katara couldn’t argue with that.

“Did Iroh never mention-?” she began but Zuko shook his head.

“I didn’t even know you were staying with him,” Zuko admitted. “He just said that Aang wasn’t coming, but you were and you would be flying in with him. Were you with him the whole time?”

“Yeah. He had me working in the teashop.” She smiled at the memory.

“I remember what that’s like. You poor thing,” he joked. Katara looked at him quizzically, and Zuko flushed. “Sorry,” he said quickly. “That was meant to be a joke. I guess it wasn’t funny.” Whether it was purely for his benefit or not, Zuko didn’t know, but Katara let out a small giggle.

“Maybe I’m just not used to you making jokes,” she teased. Zuko frowned. But he was glad it was making her laugh, even if it was at his expense. He wished he wasn’t so awkward around his friends sometimes. He thought it was likely to do with their history. He had spent a long time being a thorn in their sides, after all. When something needed doing, like helping Sokka break his dad and Suki out of prison or aiding the group with fighting off the Southern Water Tribe rebels, he was the man to go to. But when it came to the more social aspects of their relationships, he usually stayed quiet unless spoken to directly. At first it had been shame and guilt which kept him mostly silent, but also he enjoyed listening to them and watching their interactions play out. He was comfortable when he was quiet and they accepted that about him.

“Katara…” he began, feeling strangely nervous. “I know you said you don’t want to talk about it. You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but if you do…” He trailed off.

Katara shook her head and let out a deep breath. “It’s… _bad_ , Zuko.”

“Think about who you’re talking to,” he reminded her. “I did a lot of bad things before I joined your group. If there’s anyone who would understand making that kind of mistake…”

“It would be you,” Katara finished for him. She hadn’t meant it as an insult, and Zuko didn’t take it as one. It was just the truth.

“Look, I’ll cut you a deal, if you’re interested,” he continued. He turned his body to face her. “I’ll tell you something about me that I’ve never told anyone…and you tell me what happened with you and Aang.” He paused before adding: “If you want to, that is.”

Katara was hesitant. It felt very odd to be having this discussion with Zuko, of all her friends. “I don’t know, Zuko,” she sighed. “We don’t…really have that kind of friendship. I’m not even sure why you’re out here.” She said it without even thinking about it and regretted it instantly. She couldn’t see Zuko’s face properly, but she thought she could hear him deflate at her words.

“Fair enough,” he muttered. “I’ll…leave you to your thoughts.” He got up to leave.

“No wait!” Katara said quickly. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it.” Zuko silently accepted her apology.

“I think you did,” he told her. “You’re right. We don’t have that kind of friendship.” The only time he and Katara had ever been anything remotely resembling ‘close’ had been when they were fighting together. Except for that one time… He sat back down. The fire danced across his hand but he kept it under control. “But…maybe it’s time we did. You were the first person I opened up to, other than my uncle, in Ba Sing Se.” She was the first person who had seemed willing to listen. She was the first person he had allowed to touch his scar. He remembered with a jolt when the Earth Kingdom villager, Song, had tried to do the same and he had pushed her hand away…right before stealing the family’s ostrich-horse. He had anonymously gifted them a new one when he became Fire Lord but he knew that didn’t make up for the trust that had been broken after they had been so kind to him. It was the same reason why Katara had been so hostile when he first came to the group – he had broken her trust and repaid _her_ kindness with a betrayal that had almost resulted in Aang being murdered by Azula.

By the spirits, it was no wonder she didn’t feel close to him.

Katara still couldn’t quite believe that she was having this conversation with Zuko. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Zuko’s past meant that he probably _would_ understand. And if he was anything like his uncle… She knew it would be better for her to let it out. Perhaps telling Zuko would give her the courage to come clean to the others. She needed to apologise to Sokka in any event, and although he may not push so hard again, he wouldn’t let it go. He was her brother. They would be spending the next weeks together, she would never get away with not telling him.

Resolved, Katara nodded. “Okay,” she said softly. “Deal. You first.” By unspoken agreement they turned to face each other, now both cross-legged. Zuko extinguished the flame in his hand. He didn’t want Katara to feel on show, and the darkness broken only by the moon gave them the illusion of more privacy.

“I don’t know if Aang ever told you,” Zuko began. “But a while ago, Azula came back to the Fire Nation capital. She set up this ring and they started taking children from their beds at night.” He shuddered as he thought of it. He couldn’t remember feeling so powerless since he had become Fire Lord. And when they came for Kiyi and he hadn’t been able to stop them… “Everyone was scared and…I couldn’t protect them. And then one night they took Kiyi.” Katara did know this, Aang had told her. “Azula was working with the New Ozai Society. Mai’s father was part of it. Azula even took his son.”

“They kept them all in a room underground. They were just trying to scare us, but we didn’t know that at the time. Mai and I, we tracked them down. And then we found Azula.” Katara said nothing, listening intently. Aang had given her only a quick summary. He hadn’t had the same emotional involvement in the saga. He hadn’t had the same pain in his voice. Zuko took a deep breath, and steeled himself against his nerves. He wouldn’t back out now. “Azula ran off but I followed her. She said some…nonsense about how it was her destiny to make me the best Fire Lord I could be. But to Azula, that meant being like our father and ruling with fear…this is where it gets bad.”

The whole thing already sounded bad. ‘Zuko doesn’t deserve this,’ Katara thought.

“I…” Zuko groaned and put his head in his hands. “I…I could have killed her.” Katara gasped despite herself. “I was so mad, I could have ended her life. If Kiyi hadn’t called for me when she had, if I hadn’t known already that the children were safe and hadn’t been harmed…if she _had_ hurt Kiyi, I wouldn’t have hesitated. And that would have been exactly what she wanted. Destiny fulfilled,” he concluded bitterly.

“Zuko…” Katara said slowly. “I can understand that. Kiyi is your _sister_.”

“So is Azula,” Zuko argued. “And it…it scared me to think that I would be capable of that. To think that I could _kill_ my own sister.”

“But you didn’t,” Katara reasoned.

“Only because I happened to know they were safe! What if I hadn’t heard Kiyi first? It was like Azula _wanted_ me to finish her. She would have done everything in her power to make me strike. And if things had been different, I might have done!”

It was clear how much this bothered Zuko…but Katara still wasn’t perturbed. She gave Zuko a moment to gather his thoughts and calm down before speaking.

“If someone did that to _Sokka_ …I honestly don’t know what I would do, whether Sokka had actually been harmed or not.” Zuko nodded but didn’t seem convinced. She was probably just trying to make him feel better.

“And how does that make you feel?”

“It scares me,” she admitted. “But not as much as the thought of losing Sokka. This doesn’t make you a bad person, Zuko. And the fact that you’re so worried about what you _might_ have done means…well, it means that…look, it means you’re doing good.” He looked back up at her, into her piercing blue eyes. There was no fear, no loathing in them. He was genuinely surprised. She didn’t seem to think he was a monster at all. He let out the breath he’d been holding, feeling relieved and strangely glad that he had shared it with Katara.

He fixed his gaze on her.

“Your turn.”

Katara wanted to back out, more than anything. She wanted to get up and run away into the forest and not look back. But she couldn’t do that. She _wouldn’t_ do that, not after Zuko had been so honest with her. But that was part of the problem. Zuko’s past meant he would be the most likely to understand, but on the other hand if he didn’t – if he thought _she_ was a monster – what did that suggest about how the others would react? She imagined Sokka looking at her in horror and despair. The same way Aang had. It had been hard enough coming from him. It had broken her heart. But that pain wouldn’t compare to what she would feel if Sokka gave her the same expression.

Zuko waited patiently as Katara wrestled with her thoughts. Panic rose through her body and she took in a deep breath to try and calm herself down. This was hard. A lot harder than it had been to talk to Iroh. But she had to try. She had promised him.

“Okay,” she began, looking at the floor. She couldn’t bring herself to look at her friend whilst she recounted the tale. “My story…also involves the New Ozai Society. I know you cleared them out from the Fire Nation but they didn’t disappear. They regrouped. And started attacking villages in the Earth Kingdom.”

“I know,” Zuko said mournfully. “Mai is actually leading a squad to track them down and bring them to justice.” It sickened him, that some of his own people were still capable of doing that. There was no real goal to their terrorising this time. Other than further destroying the reputation of the Fire Nation in the eyes of the world. But mostly, he believed they were doing it just because they could. To show that they were still relevant and still able to cause grief. It was why he had sent an elite force to the Earth Kingdom, with Earth King Kuei's blessing of course. It was a show of solidarity, yes, but also Zuko held himself responsible. If he had done a better job of keeping them in check, they never would have made it there. The organisation spread much further and wider than anyone had first realised, and the bulk of those in the Earth Kingdom were probably men he hadn’t even known were part of it. Some of them were known members who had exiled themselves to escape justice. But the remainder had just left voluntarily to join their brothers in arms in their ignoble quest.

“I didn’t know that,” Katara piped up, breaking his train of thought. “About Mai, I mean.”

“Yeah. She volunteered and I couldn’t think of anyone better.”

“Yeah,” Katara agreed. She could see that. Even without the ability to firebend, Mai was a force to be reckoned with. But Katara was stalling now, and they both knew it.

She carried on: “Well…Aang and I were travelling and we made a stop at a village. There was some festival he wanted to go to. We camped out there for a few days. Aang thought of something else he wanted to do close by, but we were nearly out of supplies so I stayed in the village to stock up. And then…they attacked.” She could remember it as clear as day.

_It began with a single blast of fire. A warning shot, it soared over the heads of the shoppers in the market. They all watched in horror as the blast collided with a shopfront, igniting it. It burned hotly as Katara unlatched her waterskin and bent the water out, sending it in a wave towards the burning building before it had a chance to spread._

_She only had just enough to put the fire out, when another fireball exploded on a wooden market stall loaded with cabbages, setting it ablaze. She heard a distinct cry of “My cabbages! Man, dad’s gonna kill me!” and noticed a young man in Earth Kingdom attire cradling the few that had been spared from the blast. She bent the water from a nearby barrel onto the stand to douse the flames._

_By now, full panic mode had set in in the villagers and everyone was screaming and running in no particular direction. The blasts just kept coming and there wasn’t enough water around to put them all out as they hit. They were indiscriminate and unforgiving and no longer solely flying above their heads. More than a few had landed on the ground and it was a miracle that no-one had been directly hit by one yet._

_Katara ran in the direction of the blasts, bending as much water from any source she could find into her waterskin as possible. Ahead of her stood six men in dark cloaks. Only three of them appeared to be firebenders but the rest of them were armed to the teeth. It was only a matter of time before they charged, she realised. She built a wall of ice spanning the width of the street with as much thickness as she could muster but it wasn’t long before the firebenders burned through and resumed their senseless, merciless attack._

“There were only two earthbenders around,” Katara explained. “Everything happened so fast, they didn’t really have time to react.”

_The three non-benders leapt into action and ran down the street, cutting and slicing wildly._

_“For the Fire Nation!” she heard one of them cry. The man swung his sword high in the air above a family of three cowering behind their stand. Using the last of her water, Katara blasted a sheet of ice at him. It struck him hard in the face, stunning him._

_“Quick! Get out of there!” she cried at the family, who didn’t need telling twice. They scrambled out from behind their stall and made off quickly down an alley. There wasn’t enough water for Katara to freeze him in place. She rearranged the little water she had left into a pair manacles made from ice, and clamped around his wrists. That would have to do for now. She had bigger, more dangerous enemies to worry about…_

_Despite having no ammunition, Katara ran back towards the firebenders, fuelled by rage. It consumed her whole body and she didn’t care what happened next. The grasslands just outside of the village withered and died as she passed by, drawing their water and sending blasts of ice at the firebenders with all her might. Behind her, she heard deafening cracking sounds, and spotted a large stone wall from where she had just come. Good. That should keep the firebenders out. She just hoped the earthbenders could tackle the violent non-benders, for all the villagers’ sakes._

_She turned back around to face her foes determinedly. She was_ not _letting them get away._

_The firebenders suddenly punched the air in front of them in unison. A quick, successive volley of fireballs came tearing towards Katara. She coated her hands in ice and it was all she could do was to block them, casting them aside one by one. There wasn’t enough time between blasts to launch a counter-attack._

“But there were too many of them,” Katara continued. “I couldn’t keep it up forever.”

_It was a stalemate, neither willing to give any ground to the other. All around her, she could sense the panic and hear the screams and frantic cries of the villagers who had become trapped outside the wall as she had. There was a lull in fireballs, giving her time to catch her breath._

_Katara then realised with horror that the firebenders had stopped targeting her specifically and were now firing at anything that moved. She heard a blood-curdling shriek to her right. Someone had been hit with a blast and was on the ground, whimpering and clutching their arm in agony._

_“No!” she heard a woman shout. The sky lit up as one of the firebenders sent another blast in their direction. Katara forcefully took more water from the grass and sent a ball of ice to intercept it. The two blasts clashed in mid-air, cancelling each other out, and the water fell harmlessly to the ground before the villagers were hit._

“By then, most of the grass had died. I had to take so much water to fight off the firebenders. But that just made it worse.”

_Katara quickly took in the scene before her. The ground she was standing on was so dry it was only a matter of time before the firebenders figured out they could set one small patch alight and watch it spread. They wouldn’t need to do anything else. Darkness surrounded them, and although the moon hung high in the sky, she could barely make out the shadowy figures anymore. There was still water in the ground, but not enough for Katara to be able to freeze them in place. Not without adding more kindling if she failed. It was the height of summer and there was no moisture in the air. Her waterskin was empty and she didn’t dare draw anymore from the grasslands. She was powerless against them._

“It...it was a full moon,” Katara said, her voice quivering. “I just thought about all those poor people. They were going to lose their homes and I’d already seen at least one person get burned. I didn’t even know what was going on in the village. I didn’t know if anyone had been killed. And I…just…snapped.”

_A cold clarity settled over Katara. She could sense the power from the moon coursing through her veins. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. There was only one thing she could do now. The firebenders had left her no choice._

_Katara closed her eyes. Sight wouldn’t help her anymore. She stilled and listened, reaching out. She couldn’t see the firebenders…but she could feel them._

_She raised her hands before her and folded them into spiderlike claws. As soon as she had one of the firebenders in her grasp, she twisted her wrist and raised her arms above her head. She heard an anguished shout come from one of the firebenders. Unable to control his own movements, he reached for his blade and pulled it out of its sheath. He swung wildly at his compatriots, ignoring their cries of protest._

_“It’s not me! I’m not doing this!” the man shouted. Katara dropped to the ground and slammed her hand down. The firebender collapsed onto his knees, moaning and whimpering. Katara released him from her grip and he slumped to the ground. He had passed out from the pain. No sooner than the other firebenders turned to stare at her in horror, Katara rose and reached out again and took a second one under her thrall. Katara didn’t waste time with this one. He was on the ground in seconds. He was still conscious but unable to move, his muscles contracting in agony._

_The third and final firebender spun on his heel and tried to run away. But he was too slow for Katara. He came crashing down before he could even take in what was happening to him. His muscles felt like they were on fire and he cried out helplessly. Katara kept him in her grasp as he thought about scampering away. This one was stronger. The others had offered no resistance. No matter. She could keep him pinned and knock him out with his own sword if she had to._

_She walked up towards him, keeping him in her grip. Her eyes were wild and dangerous._

_“Stay down!” she commanded harshly. Her voice dripped with venom. He took one fearful look at her and submitted, cowering and hoping against hope that she would take pity on him and make it stop. But even when she released him, the pain was overwhelming. He couldn’t have moved even if he dared._

“When I heard the wall come back down, I knew it was over,” Katara concluded. “The earthbenders must have been able to handle the others. I guess they broke down the wall to try and take on the firebenders themselves.”

“Once I calmed down, I knew I was in trouble. I knew that no-one would understand, not even Aang.” Especially Aang, as it had turned out. “But I had no choice, Zuko!” she told him desperately, pleadingly. “Nothing else would work! I just couldn’t take it anymore. And I got so scared that I would be found out, I…froze them. So it would look like that was _all_ I’d done. The Earth Kingdom army came by not long after and arrested them. I guess Aang must have followed them because he wasn’t far behind.”

She brought her knees back up to her chest and sank her head into them. She was so ashamed she couldn’t even look at Zuko. She was too afraid of what she might see.

Zuko was at a complete loss for words. He had listened to her story with rapt attention, eyes wide. He wanted to tell her that he understood. That she had done the only thing she could in the circumstances. That he would have done the same in her shoes. His mouth opened and closed but he just couldn’t bring the words forth.

The silence was deafening. Katara tensed, certain Zuko was planning his escape and trying to avoid her wrath. “That’s my story,” she added lamely. “Don’t worry, it’s not a full moon tonight. You have my permission to run away.”

Zuko had no intention of doing any such thing. “When did this happen?” he asked simply.

“About a year ago,” Katara shrugged. What did that matter? She sighed. If that was really all he could think of to say… “You must think I’m a monster.” She hugged her knees closer, still not daring to look at him.

After what felt like an age, Zuko finally spoke. “No. No, I don’t, Katara. You did what you had to.”

Katara snorted disbelievingly. “Too bad Aang didn’t see it like that.” Zuko started.

“That’s why you broke up?”

“Yeah,” Katara nodded. “He found out. I don’t know how but, he confronted me and I couldn’t lie to him.” He had been so worried for her and affectionate when he’d come across the scene that Katara just couldn’t bring herself to tell him. But it had been eating her up, keeping that secret from Aang. So much so that it had almost felt like a relief when he found out. That relief hadn’t lasted long.

He had never admitted this to her before their fight, but he had been terrified when she had used it on Hama. He said the relief at not being skewered by Sokka’s sword had sent him into shock at the time. He said that he’d been able to rationalise it then because there was a war on, and war forced people into doing things they normally wouldn’t. He said that he had had to forgive her for using such evil then, too, and that it was his infatuation with her that had made it easier. She relayed this to Zuko. Zuko thought it sounded like crap.

“He said all that? After you told him what happened?!”

“I didn’t really know how to explain,” Katara told him. “He knew I was there, and he knew about the bloodbending. It was obviously me, and I didn’t deny it. I thought we could talk about it but he got so upset he almost went into the Avatar State!”

“Katara, are you…did he-?”

“He was just angry,” Katara added dismissively. “He managed to control it before it took over.”

“That doesn’t make it okay,” Zuko said, his voice low.

“That’s what he said. He said that what I did was evil and that there had to have been another way. He said that rather than doing that, I should have waited until people who ‘knew what they were doing’ came along.” She paused, shaking her head. As fearful as she had been at the time, that particular memory was now only making _her_ angry.

She continued: “He said he thought it made _me_ evil, and he didn’t think I could be his girlfriend anymore, and that he had to meditate on it… I begged him not to go. I waited three days for him and he didn’t come back. And I just thought, well he’s the Avatar. He loved me, more than anything in the world. If _he_ said it was evil, then he must be right and he would be better off without me. So, the next day…I left.”

There was a pregnant pause. Katara’s gaze fell back to the ground in defeat. She wondered how long it would be before Zuko made an excuse and walked away. Or just walked away. Perhaps fetch his guards to arrest her. It might have taken place on Earth Kingdom soil but they were Fire Nation citizens she had done that to… A fresh wave of guilt rolled over with that realisation. They were Zuko’s people. Not just New Ozai fanatics, not just cowards that no-one cared for intent on terrorising the innocent. Zuko would care.

All she had tried to do was _protect_ them! Or was that just what she told herself to make herself feel better? Aang hadn’t understood, _couldn’t_ understand. And Avatar or not, Aang always tried his hardest to see things from all sides…eventually. That said it all.

“It was wrong of Aang to make you feel like that, Katara,” Zuko finally told her, without hesitation.

“Oh yeah?” Katara looked back up at him. “You and I both know this isn’t the first time I’ve done this. What about Yon Rha? What about that innocent man I used bloodbending on?” Zuko frowned in confusion.

“You mean the captain of the Southern Raiders?” he asked. Katara nodded. “You were angry, and you had every right to be,” Zuko insisted. “And that captain may not have been the one to kill your mother, but he was not innocent. The Southern Raiders were put together to cause pain and suffering, nothing else. And in the end, even though he really didn’t deserve it, you spared Yon Rha’s life. You did the right thing.” He faltered, grappling with whether to say it. She watched him expectantly. He decided to take the plunge. It was the truth.

“Katara, I’ve never told you this, but I was in _awe_ of you that day.” The admiration was clear in his voice. “You had such raw power, I couldn’t help but feel intimidated. I’d never seen you so cold and calculating before…or since. In a way, it felt like a privilege to see it.” He smiled at her with what he hoped was encouragement.

Aang had used those words too, cold and calculating. Except when Aang had said them, it had felt like one of those icy shards she had launched at Yon Rha had pierced her heart. The way Zuko said it made it sound almost like a compliment. But how could it possibly be a good thing? As if he read her mind, Zuko continued: “Think about it. I’ve only ever seen you like that once. I know you were angry, but I also know you’re capable of a lot more than you show. Everyone has a dark side, and you keep yours under control unless it’s really needed. And what happened in the Earth Kingdom was a time it was needed.” He shuffled a bit closer to her, as if to make his point. “You never even used it against me, after everything I put you through. You’re a good person, and don’t ever forget it.”

Katara’s eyes widened in surprise. She took in the firebender before her. She didn’t have Toph’s ability to tell when someone was lying, but he looked…so sincere. Like he meant every word and actually believed what he was saying. It was the same look Iroh had given her.

“Th-thank you, Zuko,” she stuttered in shock.

“It’s the truth,” he shrugged. “And the others will understand. I won’t say anything, but I think you should.”

“I think you’re right,” Katara conceded. “I have to go apologise to Sokka anyway…” They both looked back at the house, which was now dark. Everyone else must have gone to bed while Katara and Zuko had been talking. “I guess it’s late.” Zuko nodded.

Feeling immensely better, Katara stood up and extended a hand to Zuko, and pulled him to his feet. They regarded each other for a moment before she pulled him into a tight hug. He wrapped his arms back around her. “You’re a really good friend, Zuko,” she said into his chest, making him pink slightly.

“I’m…glad I could help,” he said uncertainly. They pulled out of their embrace and exchanged shy smiles. Zuko then re-lit the fire in his hand, and they walked side-by-side back to the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some extra notes. The subject of Zuko's confession was pulled directly from the comic 'Smoke and Shadow' - if you haven't read it, I would encourage you to do so, although I do lament Katara's lack of involvement in it.
> 
> I also just want to clarify about Katara and Zuko's friendship. Zuko is probably the friend that Katara has seen the least since the end of the war. Her uncertainty doesn't stem from lack of trust but just because she and Zuko haven't had a chance to really bond or become close in the time since. But as you'll see from the next couple of chapters, her perspective quickly changes...


	4. The Beach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The royal party spend the day at the beach, Suki makes plans for the future and Zuko realises he might actually be funny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: There are minor references to past child abuse in this chapter.
> 
> Yeah, so this chapter is mostly (except for the above) just a bit of silly, light-hearted fun (Fluff without Plot, you might say) but I had a great time writing it!

Almost as soon as the sunlight flooded the horizon the next morning, Katara was stirred into consciousness. Her talk with Zuko had made her feel a lot more relaxed, about everything, and she had drifted off into a deep sleep almost as soon as her head had hit the pillow. But her mission wasn’t yet over. She still needed to find Sokka and ask for his forgiveness. He probably wouldn’t be awake yet, but that was no reason Katara couldn’t get her day started. She had heard Ursa mention something last night about needing her ‘morning coffee’ before she could get going. Having spent the last three months sampling all the types of tea known to man (and a few more, knowing Iroh), Katara’s curiosity was piqued.

Dressed in only pyjamas, she covered herself with a robe she had found hanging on her door when they arrived yesterday and wandered through the halls of the house. She heard some activity outside and peeked out of the window. Iroh and Zuko were in the courtyard running through firebending forms. It had been a long time since they had been able to do this together. Katara imagined it must be a great feeling for them. Kiyi, meanwhile, was dancing between them, trying to copy their stances. Zuko occasionally bent down and gently corrected her form, but it wasn’t long before Kiyi got restless and started running around again.

“Good morning,” a soft voice greeted behind Katara. She spun around and saw Ursa.

“Good morning, Lady Ursa,” Katara said warmly.

“Just Ursa, please,” Ursa said, not unkindly. She had left behind the title of ‘Lady’ a long time ago and she was much better off for it. “I was going to get myself a cup of coffee and enjoy the sunshine. Would you like to join me?” Katara wanted that very much. She followed Ursa into the kitchen, and mentioned that she had never tried coffee before.

“Don’t ever tell Iroh I said this, but I think I’ve had enough tea to last me a lifetime!” Katara smiled. Ursa snickered as she set about grinding the beans, refusing all offers of help from Katara.

“Coffee is unique to the Fire Nation,” Ursa remarked. “As far as I know, the crop can only grow here. I guess because of the war, it never made it out into the world.”

“I’m pretty sure they drink it in Ba Sing Se, but I think Iroh would have disowned me if I came back with some,” Katara joked.

“Yes, it was never to his liking,” Ursa agreed. “He always preferred his hot leaf juice.” Katara struggled not to let out a loud laugh at that, aware that her brother and friends were still sleeping.

The two women took their coffee to the seating area on the large veranda, where they had had dinner last night. Away from the dining table, there were two cosy armchairs perched around a small table, overlooking the ocean. They made polite small talk before Ursa asked to hear about Katara’s adventures. She had heard (parts of) Zuko’s side of the story, of course, but that left a lot of gaps to fill. Katara told her eagerly about how she and Sokka had been fishing on that fateful day when the iceberg Aang had sealed himself in had resurfaced. She tried to keep the story brief. She explained that, as the last waterbender in the Southern Water Tribe, she had been so excited when she thought the Avatar could teach her. Before the three of them had gone in search of waterbenders at the North Pole, Katara hadn’t been able to do much more than influence some waves and drop balls of water on her brother.

“And now you’re a master,” Ursa said, sounding proud. “If it’s not too much trouble, maybe you could give us a demonstration sometime? I’d love to see you in action.” Katara eagerly agreed. It warmed Katara’s heart more than Ursa could ever know, that statement.

****

When Sokka and Suki finally rolled out of bed to get some breakfast, they were met by Katara standing at their door. They both looked startled and sheepishly stepped away from each other. It was force of habit more than anything at this stage. It was no secret they shared a bed. The days when Suki could pretend she had gone to the ‘wrong tent’ were far behind them.

“Sokka,” Katara began slowly. “Can we talk? And Suki too? And actually, we should probably get Toph.” The two of them nodded at her, and offered their room as a private space to talk. Katara left to get Toph, who was still sleeping, and after much thumping and cursing, the bedraggled earthbender reluctantly followed the more stubborn waterbender down the hallway, making a point of yawning loudly.

When the four of them were gathered in Suki and Sokka’s room, Katara began speaking almost immediately. “First of all, Sokka, I am so, so sorry about last night. I never should have snapped at you. It was wrong of me.” Sokka nodded and waved his hand, accepting her apology. He and Katara had butted heads a lot worse than this before. But Katara smiled in relief. This was going well so far.

“And…I’m finally ready to talk.”

She recounted the story of what had happened in the Earth Kingdom village, and how she had used bloodbending to force the attackers into submission. She didn’t go into quite as much detail as she had with Zuko last night, but she was certain from the looks on their faces that they got the gist. She told them that Aang had found out much later, what he’d said and that he’d been gone for three days before Katara herself had left and bumped into Iroh on her way to the train. When she finally finished, she looked at her friends’ faces. Their expressions were difficult to read, but they all carried the same one. Was it shock? Horror? Katara felt her nerves bunch up again. Had she just made a big mistake?

“Katara, that’s… _awful_ ,” Suki gasped.

“Horrifying,” Sokka breathed.

“Messed up,” Toph agreed.

Katara looked down dejectedly. She’d known this was coming, she’d known this would be their reaction. It wasn’t necessarily a surprise but it still hurt. The other three glanced at each other as if in silent conversation, and reached an unspoken decision. They all leaned forward and pulled the stunned waterbender into a tight group hug. It took her a moment to remember herself and she wrapped her arms around them.

“You never should have had to go through that alone,” Suki said as they all pulled away from each other.

“Well…Aang wasn’t there,” Katara pointed out. “I don’t blame him for that-”

“That’s not what I meant,” Suki replied. “Aang should have supported you, not run away.”

“I wasn’t completely alone,” Katara reasoned. “I had Iroh.”

“I still think you should have come home,” Sokka added unhelpfully. Katara only shook her head. What she had said about the South Pole not being home anymore hadn’t just been said in anger. It was the truth. “But, that aside, I’m glad you told us. We understand, don’t we, ladies?” Suki and Toph nodded in agreement. “Aang way overreacted.”

“I have to be honest, I’m really surprised by Aang’s reaction to this,” Suki remarked curiously.

“I’m not. Twinkletoes is kind of a…a…monk,” Toph reasoned. “Yeah, a monk. He’s kind of a monk when it comes to stuff like this.”

“But he’s the Avatar!” Suki argued.

“He’s also an Air Nomad. They’re all pacifists,” Toph pointed out. “Or are you forgetting this is the same Avatar who refused to kill Fire Lord Ozai? When the fate of the world was literally at stake? I get why he doesn’t like violence. He’s the last of his kind _because_ of violence. That doesn’t mean he’s always right though.” She looked to Katara. “I’m with you on this one, Sugar Queen. You did what you had to do to end it as quickly as you could. Not all of us get to float off on a lion-turtle and learn energy-bending…”

“Oh…yeah, Aang _could_ have done that,” Katara realised. By the spirits, she _should_ have waited! She should have just tried to fend them off until Aang could get there! But Toph interrupted her thoughts.

“Sure, if he was around. But he wasn’t.” Toph shrugged. “Look, Twinkletoes messed up big time here, Sugar Queen. He made a mistake. He has to live with it. You don’t.” Toph suddenly flashed a wide grin at Katara. “So stop moping and come to the beach with us. You can help me find a nice, juicy flat rock so I can keep my feet on all of you.”

“Well who am I to argue with that?” Katara smiled.

“Damn right,” Toph smirked. “The Melon Lord has spoken!”

It felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from Katara’s shoulders. She had finally confessed her big, bad secret to her friends, a prospect which had terrified her and tormented her for months, and they had _understood_. All of them. They understood why she had done it, and they understood that she’d had no other choice. Maybe Aang really had been wrong. Maybe it wasn’t just Katara being stubborn or trying to justify her actions…Aang made a mistake. It was a mistake both of them had paid for dearly. But Katara was done paying. She was with her friends on vacation, all secrets out, and now she was going to enjoy it.

****

After the chef prepared them a picnic, everyone headed down the path to the beach together. One of the many perks of the Fire Lord’s summer residence was that at the bottom of the cliff sat a private cove that was off-limits to the island’s residents. Ostensibly this was for security purposes, but nothing less was expected for the royal party. The beach itself wasn’t huge compared to some of the stretches on Ember Island which seemed to go on endlessly, but it was more than enough for the group. There was even a large fire pit off to one side. It was only a matter of time before someone (Sokka. It would be Sokka) suggested a night beach party.

True to her word, Katara found Toph a large black slab sticking out of the sand, and bent some water over the rock to cool it so Toph could comfortably rest her feet on the surface. The earthbender leaned back and sighed happily, curling her arms behind her head. Suki and Sokka pitched their towels by Ursa, Noren and Kiyi, before Sokka quickly ran off to create his latest masterpiece of sand. Of course, even without Sokka’s poor sand-sculpting skills, Toph’s sandbending instantly put any other sculpture to shame as she bent a replica of Harbour City. She had had to spend a long time tracking down the lily-livers on her last visit there and had come to know the streets quite well.

Katara was impatient to get into the ocean and just dropped her bags unceremoniously near Toph’s rock and dove straight in. She was soon joined by Kiyi and Iroh, and a very undignified splash war broke out in the shallows, their shrieks of laughter carrying in the wind. Zuko, for his part, was unsure of what to do with himself. So far, his councillors had heeded his message not to disturb him unless it was urgent. But all this sudden free time left him at a bit of a loss, and he found himself just pacing up and down the cove, checking everyone was okay. Ursa and Noren had snuggled up in the shade of the cliffs, Sokka was working on his ‘masterpiece’ much to Suki’s amusement, Toph appeared to be napping (although she could just have been listening), and Zuko had absolutely no desire to enlist in the splash wars.

His desire was ignored however when Kiyi, aided by Katara, launched a ball of water at him and it caught him in the side, splattering over him. Startled, he rubbed his eyes and shook himself. He was absolutely drenched. He looked up and shot a glare at them. Katara and Kiyi looked innocently back at him, each pointing a finger at the other. The charade didn’t last long though, and it only took a moment for the two to dissolve into laughter. Zuko couldn’t help but smile.

“Join us, Zu-Zu!” Kiyi shouted, beckoning him over. Zuko sighed. He had never been able to refuse his spirited little sister, and reluctantly waded out to them. He folded his arms and tried to look crossly at them, but that just spurred the girls on. Before Zuko knew it, the splash war had restarted and, rather than fighting each other, Zuko became their primary target. Even Iroh got a few splashes in before Zuko finally had had enough.

“Oh, it is _on_ ,” he promised them. Kiyi burst out laughing and hid behind Katara’s leg as Zuko approached them. Katara tried very, very hard to fix a neutral expression on her face, but it was clear she, too, was suppressing laughter. Her body shook with it and she clamped a hand up to her mouth. The giggling little firebender at her side really wasn’t helping. Katara took Kiyi’s hand and they bolted off in the opposite direction. “Get back here so I can splash you!” Zuko shouted after them. He grimaced. That wasn’t a very Fire Lord thing to say.

“Come and get us then!” Katara retorted in the distance. He shook his head and pushed his embarrassment down. It was a game. Just a silly game. He ran after them.

After Zuko chased them for some time, they settled into two teams. At this, Suki and Sokka ran in to join them. It was decided that the fairest way to settle this was to have a match of boys versus girls. Each player would be out once they got knocked over, be it by wave, splash or a gentle ‘nudge’ in the right direction. The first team to knock all three opponents onto their buttocks, or out of the arena that Toph built for them with her sandbending, would be declared the Ultimate Champions. Ursa and Noren had even roused to cheer for their respective teams. From her vantage point on the rock, Toph acted as their referee to make sure no ‘funny stuff’ happened. “I’m looking at _you_ , Sugar Queen!” Toph pointed an accusing finger at her. Katara gasped in mock outrage. “You heard me. No waterbending!”

Toph put her fingers to her lips and let out a shrill whistle, and the battle commenced.

Sokka was the first casualty. He had been exchanging splashes vigorously with Katara when Suki caught his eye. Her expression fierce, she softened and blew a kiss over at him. Sokka predictably wilted, which gave Kiyi enough time to speak up behind and give him a little push, just as a sizeable wave hit him. Sokka instantly lost his balance and tumbled into the water. He got up sulkily and stood by Noren to cheer for his team. Now that they were a man down, Zuko wasn’t taking any chances. It was payback time.

Iroh had Katara and Suki engaged already, so he waded carefully up to Kiyi while her back was turned as she shouted encouragement to her teammates. She had seemingly forgotten about her big brother. He reached out…and began tickling her under her armpits. The little firebender squealed and giggled helplessly and fell onto the sand. “No _cheating_ , Zu-Zu!” she cried defiantly as he helped her up, grinning. “Melon Lord?!” she appealed to Toph. Clearly, Toph had wasted no time making her introductions to Kiyi.

“Sorry – not an illegal move,” Toph ruled. “But I’m watching you!” She pointed at Zuko.

“Don’t worry, Kiyi, we’ll make you proud!” Katara shouted at her as the little girl walked up to her mother. It was two against two. Fan and water versus fire. Neither of the women felt right about physically knocking Iroh over, so they tried a different approach. While Suki kept Zuko occupied, Katara shouted that she could see a crate of tea in need of rescue, just as a nice big wave was approaching. A wave which Katara _definitely_ didn't have a hand in. That would be cheating. She hadn’t actually expected Iroh to believe her. But to everyone's surprise, Iroh immediately vaulted out of the arena and swam out, abandoning the field of battle.

“I cannot believe you fell for that!” Zuko called to his uncle as he waded back to shore.

“I was _betrayed_!” Iroh retorted dramatically, and glowered at Katara. “My apprentice exploited my one weakness!” He shook his head but was beaming widely. Next to his towel was a gleaming tray with a full tea set perched on it. It had been at least twenty minutes since his last cup and he began readying the beverage as Zuko turned to his opponents. Suki was out only moments later, though. A wave crashed into her mid-jump and she lost all ability to stick the landing.

“You got this, Katara!” she shouted at her from the beach. Katara smirked.

“You know, Zuko, if you want to save your dignity, I’m happy for you to just concede now,” she goaded him.

“Not a chance,” he replied. He braced himself for the onslaught. What he wasn’t prepared for was for Katara to spin on her heel and start running. He gave chase, blocking any splashes she aimed at him. She was laughing the whole while. Zuko had to admit this was fun…until his foot slipped and he fell ungracefully onto his backside. It seemed that Toph’s perch wasn’t the only rock that had broken the crust of sand and he could see it glinting through the waves. Katara stood beside him and offered him a hand. Her smirk told him that she had planned this. He glared at her.

“Did you know that rock was there?” he asked as she pulled him up.

“Kinda,” Katara admitted, unable to suppress a giggle. “Sorry, Zuko.” He chuckled at her. It had been a good tactic, using the environment to her advantage. All was fair in love and splash wars, he supposed, and he accepted his defeat with dignity.

“I declare the women the Ultimate Champions!” Toph boomed, much to their joy and amusement and to the chagrin of the men on the beach. All except Iroh, that was. He was still sipping his tea.

With the game over, Katara and Zuko re-joined the rest of their party to celebrate and commiserate simultaneously. Now also seemed like a good time to break out the picnic the chef had prepared for them. They dug into it hungrily, famished from their shenanigans in the water. Sokka also decided to proudly display his sand sculpture of Suki to the group. Most of them just nodded awkwardly, Suki included. Katara had to admit it did look slightly less like a manatee holding a fan this time – Sokka had improved.

****

Iroh, Toph, Ursa, Noren and Kiyi decided to venture into the town for the afternoon. As tempted as she was to join them, Katara wasn’t quite finished with the ocean today and elected to stay behind. They had weeks ahead of them still. There would be plenty of time to go shopping. The mention of ‘shopping’ was all it took for Sokka to leap up and proclaim he _would_ in fact be joining them after all. He looked pleadingly at Suki. She laughed. “You don’t need my permission, Sokka! Go!” He planted a kiss on her cheek and ran back up to the house with the others.

This was actually a stroke of luck for Suki. She had been needing to speak to Zuko about something, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. Katara had bent herself a surfboard of ice and was gleefully riding the waves. She wouldn’t notice if they went for a quick walk, Suki reasoned.

She walked up to where Zuko was sitting on the sand. He was absent-mindedly watching Katara as she surfed. The way her hair fanned out behind her with the wind, the way she twisted her body as she manipulated the waves to her will, the sheer joy in her smile…she looked stunning.

“Hey, Zuko,” Suki said, snapping him out of his reverie. “Would you…walk with me? There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

“Sure.” He and Suki had spent a lot of time together over the past few years. Ever since Mai had invited the Kyoshi Warriors to be his elite guard, Suki had spent months at a time at the Royal Palace and they had become good friends. He trusted her completely, and not just because of her prowess. Although her fighting skills _were_ superb and Suki was absolutely a force to be reckoned with, even though she had no bending abilities. She was like Mai in that sense, but that was where the similarities ended. Suki was someone he felt could actually _talk_ to when he needed a friend, and he did miss her when her rotation ended. Even with all the councillors and the servants and the guards, the Palace sometimes felt like a very lonely place. When Suki was around, she would often join him on his frequent night walks around the Palace grounds, and they would trade stories and the occasional joke. Even more occasionally those jokes came from Zuko.

Suki led them around the cliff that rose steeply from the beach. She knew it was unlikely Katara would be able to hear them, but voices carried in the wind. Hushed ones seemingly doubly so.

“What’s up?” Zuko asked with concern. She looked unsure of herself and kept darting glances back to make sure Katara hadn’t spotted them. For someone with years of training in stealth, she seemed unnaturally nervous about being spotted.

“It’s about our arrangement,” Suki sighed. “The Kyoshi Warriors, we…we’re not going to be able to keep coming to the Fire Nation.”

“Oh.” That was disappointing, to say the least. He had his own guards, of course, but he liked having the Kyoshi Warriors around. “If it’s gotten too much for them-” he began but Suki shook her head.

“It’s not that,” she told him, sighing again. “I just found out before we travelled here. The New Ozai Society are getting worse, and we have to do our part for the Earth Kingdom. We need to keep more Warriors on Kyoshi Island in case we ever get attacked, and also so we’re closer to the Earth Kingdom if they need our help. We’ve actually started posting some of our girls in different towns. Kind of like what we’re doing here,” she elaborated. “But…that means that there won’t be enough of us to guard the Royal Palace anymore.” Zuko really wasn’t sure what to say to that. Everything Suki said made perfect sense. The Kyoshi Warriors were officially part of the Earth Kingdom, of course they had to prioritise them. And, Zuko suspected, it was more his paranoia than any actual threat that meant he’d kept them around. There had only been the odd occasion in the last couple of years where he had really needed them. Zuko wasn’t unpopular as Fire Lord, but there were still those who felt he didn’t belong on the throne and were willing to risk everything for that belief…

But Suki wasn’t finished. “But…that’s not the real reason I wanted to talk to you. Well, it is. They’re connected,” Suki assured him. She smiled at him softly. “I know how much you value having us around. So that’s why I would like to propose that I…stay in the Fire Nation and train up some new recruits. I already spoke to Ty Lee and she’s with me on this. We can make up the numbers with Fire Nation women and we can train them in the Kyoshi style. What do you think?”

“Suki,” Zuko breathed uncomfortably. “I can’t ask you to do that.”

“You’re not asking, I’m offering,” Suki countered.

“But the Kyoshi Warriors mean everything to you.”

“I’ll still be a Kyoshi Warrior,” Suki said determinedly. “I get it, they’re Fire Nation women. I don’t expect them to wear the uniform and we may have to adapt a few things. But the Kyoshi spirit will still be there. The whole concept is still the same – we’re taking a group of your average, non-bender women and training them – in our unique style,” she added pointedly. “– to defend themselves and others. But with stealth. Lots of stealth. It’s very important to the Kyoshi way,” she smiled.

“It’s certainly an interesting idea,” Zuko admitted. “But, Suki, if the Earth Kingdom need you, you should be with them. The Kyoshi Warriors need you.”

“I’ve already tapped my replacement,” Suki said confidently. “Besides, it’s not like it’ll be forever. I will probably go and re-join them once the new recruits are fully trained. Sure, it might take a year or two but the Kyoshi Warriors will still be there when I get back. Look,” she stepped closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “Zuko, I know how worried you are. And, honestly, being Fire Lord, you’re right to be worried. Even being a powerful firebender, you need protection, too. I know you have your guards, but Mai invited us here for a reason. You kept us around for a reason. I want to do what I can to help you with that. So you don’t think you’ve been completely deserted.”

“I never would have thought that,” Zuko said. “I do really appreciate this.” He didn’t even really have to think about it. If Suki was genuinely as enthusiastic about it as she seemed, Zuko was more than happy to take her up on her offer. He would be a fool not to. The last thing he wanted to do was put Suki out, but when she was determined, nothing anyone could do or say would stop her. “If we’re talking Fire Nation citizens, I’ll probably have to have a talk with my councillors. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s a yes.” He would have to send a hawk to them. It would take Suki some time to gather recruits, and the faster he could get this in motion, the less time would be wasted. “I don’t expect you to start now, though,” he added.

“I know,” Suki smiled. “Your family is my priority.” It had only been at Iroh's and Toph's dogged insistence that they could cope if anything happened, and Zuko's agreement, that she hadn't ventured into town with his family.

“That’s not what I meant. I just meant…I’d like you to see this as your vacation, too. We’re all friends here.” He only needed her to leap into action in the face of an actual threat. There were also some Fire Nation guards who patrolled at night, but Zuko had noticed Suki hadn’t touched a drop of any of the liquor last night. It may well have been a personal choice, which was fine, but Zuko hoped she hadn’t abstained from a sense of duty. “So it means that if you want to try the firewhiskey, you’re…you’re welcome to.” He sighed at his lame attempt at a joke. Was it even a joke? If Sokka had been around, he would have torn him to shreds for that. Zuko suddenly realised what had been left unsaid by both of them. Sokka. “How’s Sokka taken it?”

“I haven’t actually told him,” Suki sighed. “I mean, there was nothing to tell before. It’s going to be really hard for him, I think, me being in the Fire Nation for so long.” He seemed to find the relatively small distance between the South Pole and Kyoshi Island hard enough. They both longed to be able to stay in the same place together for more than a few weeks at a time, but their duties kept them separated more often than not. At least Kyoshi Island was only a couple of days away by boat in good weather. Crossing the ocean to the Fire Nation took two _weeks_ in good weather.

Zuko looked crestfallen at this. Before the guilt could overwhelm him and he rejected her offer, Suki quickly added: “But that is _not_ on you. This is absolutely not for you to worry about. This is my problem. All I ask is that you don’t tell anyone except your councillors before I’ve had a chance to talk to Sokka.” Zuko nodded in agreement.

They began walking back around the cliff to the beach when Zuko tried his luck at another joke. “You know, I…I heard Sokka made a really cute Kyoshi Warrior,” he said, smiling lamely. Suki laughed out loud.

“He really did!” she exclaimed. “Maybe he’d like to join our ranks.”

“You know, you have a point,” Zuko realised out loud. Suki raised her eyebrows questioningly. “Not about Sokka,” he clarified. “But what about if men wanted to join?” The Fire Nation still had an army and a navy, but recruitment of both men and women had stalled, and indeed many of their troops had had to be let go in favour of funding other projects. There was no real need for fresh blood now they were no longer at war, and besides that, Suki’s tactic involved pulling in average people and making them exceptional. The army had had the ruthless tendency to only take the best in the past. ‘Unless they needed sacrificial lamb-cows’, Zuko thought bitterly.

“That’s a conversation I’m willing to have,” Suki said, nodding. It was something that hadn’t occurred to her and she would need to think about it, but she couldn’t think of any real reason to say no. Except for tradition, but it also wasn’t traditional for the Kyoshi Warriors to be the Fire Lord’s personal guard. Things changed and this really wouldn’t be a problematic one.

The beach was now completely deserted, and Katara was nowhere to be seen. They assumed she must have gone back up to the house, but Zuko felt a pang of worry and kept looking back as they climbed higher to see if he could spot her. Nothing. He reminded himself that Katara was an extremely powerful waterbender. If she had run into trouble, the ocean was probably the safest place for that to happen. Unless she’d been knocked unconscious… The worry overtook him and he jogged back up the house ahead of Suki, trying to remain calm.

He let out a sigh of relief when he saw her sitting on the veranda, curled up on one of the armchairs with a book.

She looked up and waved at them as they passed her. She had changed out of her beach clothes and was now wearing a simple long red skirt with a red top that showed her midriff to match. When in the Fire Nation, after all. She had ended up making a new outfit in Ba Sing Se that she was keen to show off, but she wanted to save it. And she was very fond of this ensemble. Red suited her dark skin tone, and this was a much better choice for the climate. She didn’t think she even owned any outfits in Water Tribe colours that were thin enough for the unforgiving Fire Nation heat.

****

That night after dinner, Iroh decided that everyone had to join him on his evening constitutional. During their earlier jaunt into town, Iroh had said he wanted to come back in the evening to see it all lit up. He seemed to miss the clamour and night-time displays of Ba Sing Se, even though it had only been a day. He wouldn’t get the clamour, but there was no reason to refuse the man his night walks and everyone was happy to go along.

Toph stole Katara’s usual place when going on night-time walks with Iroh. She linked arms with him and they led the group, who had almost automatically split off into pairs. Katara and Zuko walked behind everyone else, watching with mild amusement as Kiyi ran between the pairs trying to make sure everyone felt included. She eventually settled at the front of the party and clung on to Iroh’s other arm. While the others talked among themselves, Katara and Zuko walked in silence. He had once again lit a small flame and balanced it in his palm to light their way.

“What do you think of the island?” he asked her.

“I guess I haven’t seen much of it,” Katara replied honestly. “But I love what I’ve seen so far. How about you? Is it nice to be back here?”

“Yeah, actually,” Zuko admitted. “But I’m a little worried about mother. The last time she was here was with my father. She probably doesn’t have a lot of great memories of this place.”

“She seemed fine when I spoke to her this morning,” Katara said.

“Really?”

“Yeah. I mean, I guess I don’t know her that well, but I like to _think_ I know if people are uncomfortable…”

“You’d know,” Zuko assured her. “I’m probably overthinking it. I guess I’m just…scared of losing her again.” He hadn’t ever admitted that to anyone before. He had been a bit hurt, when Ursa and Noren had rejected his offer of moving to the Royal Palace and living there full-time. He supposed it had been a pointless wish. Even though Ursa had confronted Ozai and stood up to him, she would never feel completely comfortable there. Aside from the memories of her forced marriage to Ozai, she and Noren had made a life for themselves in Hira’a. It was a simple life but one they both adored. And Zuko had to agree, it was probably better for Kiyi to grow up away from the Palace, not to mention safer. He had no doubt that the kidnappings had had something to do with their decision. Another reason to resent Azula. As if he needed another one.

Katara was at a loss as to what to say. Zuko was being unusually open with her, and she didn’t want to say the wrong thing and make him clam back up. It was nice, being able to talk like this with him.

“I can understand that,” she finally settled on. “But I don’t think there’s any reason to think that you will. Whose idea was it to come here anyway?”

“Uncle’s,” Zuko smiled. “And mother did look happy to be here. I guess for her, Ember Island is also some of her best memories of life with my father.”

Which wasn’t saying much, Zuko thought. Even on vacation, his father could have a foul temper, especially when Iroh wasn’t around. He usually took it out on Zuko. Sometimes it was in the form of spiteful words calling Zuko useless and an embarrassment, among other things. But other times he struck Zuko out of sheer frustration at his very presence, when they were alone. When no-one was looking. The worst had been when he had knocked his son to the floor with a vicious backhand once. Zuko invariably ended up in tears and was comforted by Ursa. As he grew up, he had realised with a heavy heart that Ursa had probably shielded him from the worst of it.

He didn’t mention any of this to Katara. What would be the point? The past was the past and things would be different this time. He could never remember being around so much laughter on any of their old trips. He was so glad he had invited the others. It made his family feel complete. Except for Aang, but given the situation between him and Katara, it was probably for the best that the Avatar wasn’t here. And Zuko wouldn’t admit this to anyone, least of all Katara herself, but he was secretly glad she was the one of the two who had been able to make it. He couldn’t even explain why. He didn’t try to either. It was just a feeling.

“I’m really glad you’re all here as well,” he told her as they neared the town. “I feel stupid admitting this, but I almost didn’t invite you…”

“Oh…”

“It’s not because of any of you,” Zuko added quickly. “I guess I just thought…none of you would want to come.” Katara stopped, and placed her hand on his arm. She turned him around to face her. He looked sad and a bit embarrassed that he had said it out loud.

“Why would you think that, Zuko?” Katara asked him gently.

“I don’t know,” Zuko shrugged non-committally. “Like I said, it was stupid.”

“Well for what’s it’s worth,” Katara smiled at him. “If you do ever…you know, want a friend, write to me. I’d love to visit.”

“Really?”

“I would be _honoured_ , Fire Lord Zuko,” she joked, giving him a mock-bow. Zuko couldn’t help but smile at her. She seemed to have that effect on him at the moment. They began walking again. “Or is it Grumble Lord Zuko now?” Katara said, a thoughtful look crossing her face. She stroked her chin in imitation of Sokka. “I forget…” Zuko tapped her playfully on the arm and she giggled.

“But seriously, I will write to you,” Zuko promised. “We could…write to each other anyway, if you wanted?”

“Sure,” said Katara. “It’s been kind of hard keeping track of everyone.”

“I know what you mean,” he sympathised. “And I’ve just been staying in the same place. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for you when you’re travelling all the time.”

“Well, I _was_ travelling all the time,” Katara corrected. Zuko stiffened. He knew that. He was such an idiot, why had he said that? Luckily for him, Katara noticed. “It’s okay, Zuko,” she said reassuringly. “I’m still kind of getting used to that myself. But it is nice knowing where I’ll be for the next few weeks.”

“What will you do…after?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Katara replied. “I guess I haven’t really thought about it.” And she didn’t want to, not yet. There was always the possibility of returning to Ba Sing Se with Iroh but that wasn’t guaranteed. There was also the possibility of returning to the South Pole with Sokka, but her feelings hadn’t changed on that. For now, she just wanted to enjoy the fact that she was with her friends.

“I shouldn’t have brought it up. I’m sorry,” apologised Zuko.

“You don’t have to be,” said Katara. She took a good look at him. He might not have realised it was showing, but he was clamming up again. He seemed to think he had really stepped out of line by asking her that simple, perfectly reasonable question. Katara thought back to last night and guessed that might be why. She had really shown herself up by exploding at Sokka in front of them like that. She placed hand on his shoulder. “Zuko, really, it’s okay. I’m sorry I got so mad last night…and I shouldn’t have said we weren’t that type of friends. We are. We just never really gave ourselves the chance before.” That much was true. They had barely been on speaking terms until just before Sozin’s Comet, and then Zuko had remained in the Fire Nation while the others kept doing what they were doing. “It’s a good question,” she continued. “I guess I just don’t really want to think about it right now. But maybe I could come visit with you sooner than we thought?” Zuko liked the sound of that. Suki would be busy with her new project, after all.

“I might take you up on that,” he told her. There was a short pause, then he added, “Thanks.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” she smiled. “Plus I hope you know that if I _am_ at the Royal Palace, I expected to be waited on hand and foot!” she teased.

“That’s okay,” Zuko replied. “I have lots of servants.” Katara laughed at that. There was probably something in the water, but Zuko’s jokes seemed to be taking today! He almost felt ready to challenge Sokka to a comedy contest. The one who elicited the least groans from the audience would be declared the victor. Katara laughed again as he said this, but pointed out that Sokka’s jokes were so terrible, Zuko would win by default. He wasn’t sure if that was an insult or not, but didn’t have time to figure it out as Toph yelled for the two ‘sloth-snails’ to ‘stop making googly eyes at each other and get down here!’

****

In the end, the town didn’t have much to offer at night. To Iroh’s disappointment, the streets were dark save for the moon and the light emanating from the few drinking establishments and restaurants, and so they started the trek back up the house. The idea of a beach party was half-heartedly thrown around by Sokka, but everyone was ready to curl up in the sitting room for some drinks and games. Kiyi was dutifully sent to bed, again protesting all the way. This time, Katara and Iroh gathered everyone around the small table for a card game. The deck Katara had found was comprised of four identical groups of thirteen cards called ‘suits’, each suit representing one of the elements. She and Iroh had become familiar with a few different games from Iroh’s friends in Ba Sing Se.

Thinking back to her earlier conversation with Zuko, Suki did indeed try the firewhiskey that night. That was too strong for her liking, but she took to the rum. Another unique Fire Nation product, as it turned out.

She was worried about telling Sokka her news. She had fleetingly tried to broach it on their walk, but Sokka had become distracted by something Suki couldn’t even remember, and she lost her nerve. She now drunkenly thought it might be kinder to wait. Let Sokka enjoy their time together rather than fretting about their future. She knew she would have to tell him before the trip ended, but that was still several weeks away. She had time.

Toph, as it turned out, was an extremely useful ally to have in one game. It was called ‘Cheat’ and involved laying cards face-down in turn and declaring what they were. The rest of the group then had the chance to call out if they thought they were cheating, and the card would then be revealed. If they had been cheating, they picked up the pile. If the caller was wrong, the caller did. In order to better include Toph, they buddied up for the game. Toph chose Katara as her partner as she felt Katara would have the biggest handicap, being so trusting and unable to lie even without Toph there to sense it. Suki and Sokka paired up, naturally, Zuko partnered with Ursa, and that left Iroh and Noren, who were almost as astute as Toph at telling when someone was lying. In game, at least.

As the evening wound down and the games finished, everyone slowly migrated back to their bedrooms. Suki had at this point decided finally, definitely that she _wouldn’t_ break her news to Sokka just yet. Even if her head wasn’t swimming, she would _not_. Sokka half-walked, half-carried Suki back to their room and she collapsed in a heap on the bed, giggling to herself. Sokka draped the blanket over her and leaned in for a tender kiss on her lips.

“I love you,” he breathed, smiling down at his giddy girlfriend. It was only a matter of time before he plucked up the nerve to ask her the question he’d been meaning to ask. He had planned to do it on the island as soon as it had been confirmed. He wanted to talk Iroh about potential romantic spots he could take her. It would be humiliating because Iroh would pry and Sokka would be forced to admit the truth. But the only other person who knew the island well enough, Zuko, bless him, would probably be next to useless at suggesting romantic spots.

Sokka stroked Suki’s hair lovingly as she drifted off to sleep. It wasn't that late, and Sokka wasn’t quite ready to end the night yet. He had to see if he could convince Toph and Zuko to play another round. He had an idea that he wanted to try out…but he should probably wait for Katara, who had already gone to bed. It wasn’t something he wanted to suggest while they were playing with the more grown-up grown-ups, but he figured they would get their chance.

They had time. They had several weeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The deck of cards described in this chapter are canonically real! They make a brief appearance in, I think, the 'Imbalance' comic.
> 
> Not that I'm shamelessly plugging, but my other, darker story has now also been posted. I'm still planning to release one update per week for each story, because with COVID, life isn't exactly getting in the way right now.
> 
> Also, thanks so much to everyone who commented on the last couple of chapters. I'm always happy to field any questions, although I accept this story isn't exactly complex. Sometimes you just need a good bit of fluff.


	5. Amorai and Naja

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara reveals her wilder side on a night out with Sokka, Suki and Toph, and some of Zuko's best-kept secrets are brought to light.

Two weeks had passed since they had all arrived on Ember Island. The time had seemed to fly by, and everybody was enjoying themselves immensely. By day, they explored the different parts of Ember Island, and by night they all came together for games, and often a few drinks, after they shared dinner. Kiyi continued to look put out whenever she was sent to bed and ‘missed all the fun’ so the group had begun taking it in turns to keep the little firebender entertained during her bedtime routine. Much to Sokka’s delight, in particular, as Kiyi was young enough that she actually found his jokes sincerely funny.

As much fun as this was, Sokka and the others had more recently been itching to explore the nightlife of the island. Iroh had ‘accidentally’ wandered in to some of the drinking establishments the town had to offer during his nightly constitutionals and made some recommendations. Zuko and his family elected to stay behind, partly because of Kiyi but also because of Zuko being the Fire Lord. He wasn’t sure how proper it was for him to be seen out gallivanting with his friends. Everyone in the capital knew who he was and exactly what he looked like, but then again no-one had recognised either him or Azula when they had come here for the weekend with Mai and Ty Lee four years ago. He wasn’t even sure if the island’s residents even knew for certain that he was visiting. Except for the chef, but the man had promised his discretion when he took the job. But it just wasn’t his scene. Not to mention the last party full of strangers and alcohol he had gone to had ended up with he and his cohorts wrecking the place in ill-conceived revenge against the snobby host. His friends understood but promised they would fetch him for a nightcap and some games when they came back.

The excitement among the group was palpable as they left the house that evening. They were all dressed in Fire Nation red and were raring to go. Suki was donning an elegant silk cheongsam that hugged her body and showed off her slender, agile figure. That much was obvious from the way Sokka had almost drooled when she had shown off her outfit. A high slit went up one side of the skirt, with a shorter skirt visible underneath. Suki pointed out that just gave her the freedom to move rather than her legs being clamped together. Katara wore a halter top with a shawl over her shoulders, and a long, flowing skirt that reached her ankles. Toph and Sokka had simply recycled the Fire Nation clothes they had ‘borrowed’ all those years ago.

Toph wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, not having had a proper night out like this before. Toph mostly surrounded herself with her students, most of whom were too young. Katara, for her part, had enjoyed perhaps a few too many nights out with Jin and her friends in Ba Sing Se, but before that she had surrounded herself with Aang, for whom this would hold little appeal, she imagined. Aang would go along for the group’s sake and probably end up befriending the entire tavern, but it wasn’t something he and Katara had ever done themselves. He didn’t drink, for one, and that impromptu dance party he had organised for his Fire Nation classmates had been a long time ago. She wondered if there would be music and dancing where they were going tonight.

****

As it turned out, Sokka was the one who ended up befriending most of the tavern. They stayed in the first place they went to. It was dim inside, but the atmosphere was lively with music, talking and laughter. It was a popular place with the locals and there were even some decks of cards behind the bar for patrons to borrow, as well as a couple of dart boards hanging on the wall. It was only a matter of time before Sokka challenged anyone who would listen to a match.

Initially it was just the four of them in a booth towards the back of the tavern, but each time Sokka returned from his trips to the bar, it seemed he found someone new to introduce to the group. There was a juggler, called Tee, who had been hoping to drum up some business by providing entertainment; a small group of local girls who were celebrating the impending marriage of one of their number; and even a couple of the infamous Ember Island players! One of them was the actor who had played Zuko in that absurd show, ‘The Boy in The Iceberg’. His name was Amorai and he seemed to take particular interest in Katara, much to her annoyance. Toph, on the other hand, was delighted. Amorai’s companion was the really buff guy, called Naja, who had played the Toph character in the performance. The group had unspokenly agreed not to reveal their true identities to their companions, for Zuko’s sake, although it was obvious Toph was absolutely bursting to confess who she really was.

“Of course, acting is an art like no other,” Amorai was boasting. He had his arms around two of the girls from the bridal party, but kept winking at Katara. “You have to truly…lose yourself.”

“How easy do you think it would be to lose him now?” Katara whispered to Suki. The other woman snorted with laughter.

“You have to _become_ the character, nay the _person_ ¸ you are entrusted to portray,” Amorai continued, oblivious to their sniggering. “Their triumphs become your triumphs. Their pain becomes your pain.” He dropped his head dramatically. “I have taken in a lot of pain over the years... But I have to! It wouldn’t be right otherwise, and it’s only made me more sensitive…” The girls on his arms swooned and clung to him for dear life. Katara and Suki struggled to suppress laughter. Amorai looked at them, and dropped his arms. “Take _you_ , for instance, my dear,” he said dramatically, clasping his hands over one of Katara’s. She raised her eyebrows. “I see a kindred spirit in you. You have known pain, you have known loss, like I have. You have had to take far too many burdens on your shoulders for your young age.” Katara was amazed. She had been listening to him prattle on about acting, or more specifically about _his_ acting ability, for so long she was surprised that Zuko hadn't sent out a search party for them. It was clearly a subject about which Amorai was extremely passionate. But now his tone had changed and he seemed surprisingly astute. He was suddenly a completely different person. He looked lustfully into her eyes. Despite herself, or it may have had something to do with the drinks, she felt herself begin to melt, just a little.

Amorai stood up and swooped a flustered Katara into his arms. He didn’t notice Suki barring Sokka from launching at him.

“She can take care of herself,” she gently reminded him. Besides, Katara had to be up to something to allow this charade to go on. She wasn’t the sort to just freeze up with nerves. And Suki was dying to know what it was.

“Tell me, my dear, what great losses have you taken on?”

“Well, I…” She looked up into his eyes and felt herself blushing. By now, Suki and Sokka were watching the scene unfold with rapt attention. Despite being in their cups themselves, they were ready to spring into action should the need arise. But they didn’t think it would. Amorai was an idiot, but he seemed like a fully harmless idiot. He was in more danger than Katara if he misstepped.

“Don’t be shy,” Amorai said encouragingly, pulling her closer. Katara let him. “I’ll bet you’ve played some dazzling characters in your time.”

“Actually, I’m not-” Katara began, flummoxed.

“You bear such grace, such radiant beauty,” Amorai insisted. “I would be honoured to enter the stage with you. Those luscious lips have a story to tell, I can see it!” He had been talking about acting. He _was_ acting. Of course. But that was okay, Katara decided. She had dealt with his sort in Ba Sing Se, much to the amusement of the group of dancers she had befriended. She was happy to play along, it was all in good fun. And the way he’d talked about her luscious lips…

Katara smiled at him flirtatiously. “Oh there’s a story,” Katara whispered. She gave him a sultry look. “Would you like to hear it?” Amorai practically purred. Katara’s smile widened. Keeping her hands firmly on his back, she dipped his upper body down and leaned slowly towards him… Suki had gone red in the face and felt like she was almost ready to burst. Sokka’s jaw dropped to the table.

Just as Katara was about to reach Amorai’s lips, she pulled away. “And scene!” Everyone at their table who had been paying attention laughed and applauded. Now it was Amorai’s turn to look flustered. She brought him back up. He patted himself down coyly, then beamed at her.

“I knew you were an artist!” he declared. Katara bowed modestly, both to her scene partner and to their makeshift audience. As ridiculous as Amorai was, she was glad he had taken it in the spirit of jest. That was all she had meant by it. “If you’re ever looking for work, our theatre could use someone like you,” he told her.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

As she returned to her friends, their mouths were agape. They had never seen Katara behave like this before, not even with Aang.

“Katara, that was…” Suki began

“Amazing!” Sokka finished. Katara smiled coyly and shrugged her shoulders. “You really had me going there.”

“Well, that was the point,” Katara told him. She posed dramatically. “An actor must lose themselves, after all,” she said with an affectation in her voice. Suki and Sokka burst into laughter again. As much as they adored her just as she was, they liked this new playfulness of hers. Sokka in particular had sometimes worried that because Katara had had to step up at such a young age, and lost her childhood because of it, she would always struggle with letting loose and having a laugh. But it suited her. Granted she had had a few drinks, but both of them knew from experience that liquor only helped bring out what was already there. It couldn’t create new personalities from thin air. And Katara hadn’t had _too_ many…

Toph, meanwhile, was engaged in a very loud conversation with Naja. He was a lot more down-to-earth than Amorai, and seemed genuinely interested in hearing her talk about earthbending. She regaled him with anecdotes of her triumphs as well as comical errors. She said she had been part of a travelling group of performers. Her ‘backstory’ was that she had been found by them at a relatively young age, after running away from a desperate unhappy home life. The best lies always had a ring of truth to them, after all. Sokka was talking to Tee and kept asking him to show them some tricks.

Amorai settled back into his seat with the other girls, and wondered aloud if anyone would be interested in playing a game. It was one he and Naja had played several times with their cast members. It was called ‘Never Have I Ever’, and Amorai loudly boasted he had come up with the concept. Sokka highly doubted that as he was familiar with this game from back home, but decided to let the guy have this one. It just wasn’t that important. He also couldn’t wait to tell Zuko they had met and drunk with his stage counterpart, and he regretted that his friend wasn’t here to witness it. Largely because he wanted to be there to witness Zuko meeting Amorai in all his ridiculous glory, and he could say for certain Suki and Katara were feeling the same.

Amorai went up to the bar and returned with a fresh round for the whole table.

“Okay, so the point of the game is we all go around and make a statement – it doesn’t have to be true – and then you drink if you’ve done it,” Amorai explained. “I’ll start. Never have I ever…been in love.” Everyone at the table drank to that. Suki planted a kiss on Sokka’s cheek, which he returned lovingly. It was Katara’s turn next.

“Um…never have I ever…,” she muttered, struggling to think. Then it came to her, and she smiled wickedly and pointedly at Amorai. “Swept a man off his feet!” she concluded. Katara and Suki both drank to that, clinking their glasses proudly. Amorai nodded with approval.

It went around the table like this until it got back to Amorai. By this stage, one of the girls had really taken to him and the pair wandered up to the musicians for a dance. He had clearly lost interest in Katara. The rest of the bridal party said their goodbyes and moved on to their next destination with Amorai in tow. He threw the group a wave as they left.

They had been in the tavern for a couple of hours now, and Sokka was feeling ready for anything. He challenged Tee to a juggling contest, trying to hide the fact that he was slurring slightly. Tee was happy to oblige and the two stepped out into the garden.

“I’d better go and make sure he doesn’t injure himself,” Suki said, unable to suppress a snigger.

Toph was still talking to Naja – they seemed to have become fast friends already, and weren’t planning on moving anywhere soon, nor even inviting anyone else into their conversation. Katara decided to follow Suki. She needed some air anyway.

They ventured outside and watched with amusement as the contest got underway. As the professional, Tee volunteered to go first. He finished to a round of applause from the spectators who had gathered and bowed. Then he passed his juggling balls to Sokka, who hiccupped loudly. He played to the audience, cracking jokes and making sure everyone knew it was the gorgeous redhead in the audience who had made him the man he was today. Suki smiled warmly at him. Sokka could be an idiot but he was her idiot, and he never let her forget it. She loved that about him.

Sokka’s own juggling display turned out to be a little less adept. To be fair to Sokka, the objects went up into the air and came down just fine. It was just that it was the ground catching them and not Sokka. Katara and Suki giggled a little more loudly than they intended.

Not one to put off by a little failure, Sokka instead demonstrated a dramatic bow, finishing: “Thank you, thank you. You’ve been a wonderful audience.” He seemed to bask in the laughter, which only got louder at his encouragement. Tee went up to him afterwards and offered to buy him a drink. He said he hadn’t seen something so funny in years. Sokka nodded approvingly. “I see you’re a guy who likes comedy!” They wandered back into the tavern together, arms around each other’s shoulders, all the while Suki was shaking her head at them. She really, really loved that man…

“Great night, huh?” she said to Katara.

“Hilarious,” Katara agreed. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve had so much fun.” She awkwardly pulled Suki into a bear hug. “You’re a great friend,” she told her merrily. The chillier air seemed to be getting to her. Suki thought it would probably be best if Katara stayed on water for the rest of the evening. Right now she was in the happy-go-lucky, merry, everything is great stage. Suki knew, not from personal experience but from watching others, the next stage could get a lot darker.

Katara seemed to be a lot livelier in general at the moment. She had barely mentioned Aang since she’d arrived on Ember Island. Suki had noticed his absence, but not as much as she thought she would. She was so used to seeing Aang and Katara together, but Katara seemed to be almost…blooming without him. It made Suki question in the back of her mind whether anything else had gone on in their relationship that Katara didn’t want to share. Except it was Aang. He didn’t have a mean bone in his body. Perhaps being the Avatar’s girlfriend had simply been a greater burden than Katara herself had even realised until the weight of it was suddenly lifted from her shoulders. Suki had made it clear she was available to talk, but Katara never had since she’d first told them. Not about Aang anyway. They usually ended up swapping tales of their time apart.

“It’s great to see you so happy,” Suki sighed with contentment. She gave Katara a squeeze and the two of them walked back into the tavern.

****

Zuko hadn’t expected his friends to be back as early as they were, but it was obvious they had all had a merry old time at the tavern. Toph was the only one who looked put out to be back. The other three had had to virtually drag her away from Naja as the evening wound up. Naja reminded Toph of her old friend, The Boulder, and he had just as gentle a heart and had no problems taking her seriously despite her stature, and the fact that she was blind. Zuko was relieved they were back though. Ursa and Iroh had begun exchanging stories about Zuko when he was younger, and he felt himself flinching from embarrassment. What he hadn’t counted on was those stories continuing in the presence of his friends…who did absolutely nothing to help.

“ _Zuko_ plays the Tsungi horn?!” Sokka exclaimed excitedly. Zuko slapped a hand to his face and groaned. It had only been a matter of time before Iroh had allowed that little gem to spill. Although it was actually his mother who had brought it up.

“Well, not at first,” Ursa smiled. “Whenever the teacher would turn up, he would cross his arms and pout for half the lesson.” She looked over at her son, who was sat on a cushion on the floor, arms crossed and pouting. She didn’t need to say anything. Everyone except Toph followed her gaze and began laughing again. Toph could already tell he had been pouting – she could feel it from her own position on the floor. “How long has it been since you’ve played?” Ursa asked him kindly. Before Zuko could answer, Iroh jumped in.

“Too long, too long,” he said lamentably, throwing a look at his nephew. Many a music night had passed on the ship during Zuko’s banishment, and he had not graced them with the dulcet tones of his Tsungi horn once, despite Iroh’s pleading. “But…did you ever hear about the time Zuko here became a juggler?” Zuko’s eyes widened in horror as everybody else gasped in awe.

“Why do I tell you anything?!” Zuko said desperately. Iroh merely beamed at him.

“Tell us, Zuko!” Suki insisted.

“No thank you.”

“If you tell us,” Toph said, smirking. “We’ll tell you _all_ about what Sugar Queen got up to tonight.”

“Hey, don’t drag me into this!” Katara spluttered. Zuko caught her eye and grinned at her. Then he turned back to Toph.

“Well…that actually sounds worth it,” he chuckled. He heard Katara groan loudly. She poured herself another drink. She had listened to Suki and abstained in the tavern, and had sobered up a bit. Now she felt like she was going to need a bit more.

Zuko sighed and began telling the story. He didn’t really mind. He would prefer to tell it himself, since Iroh would have embellished it with unnecessary details…such as that awful haircut he had given him before he met up with Jin.

“It was while Uncle and I were living as refugees in Ba Sing Se,” he told them. “I was…out with this girl. Of course I couldn’t tell her who I was. She asked where I was from and I…sort of told her that my uncle and I were part of a travelling circus…” Toph, Suki and Sokka had looks of sheer, unbridled joy on their faces at this revelation. Katara, of course, already knew this story, but decided to keep that little tidbit to herself...for now. “She asked me for a demonstration,” he added.

“Please…please tell me you gave her one,” Sokka said. Zuko nodded, and Suki and Sokka collapsed into giggles. It wasn’t long before everyone else in the room joined in.

Katara, for her part, felt herself mellow with happiness. She liked this side of Zuko. She really liked him. He’d barely touched any of the drinks that had been passed around since they got back, so she knew it wasn’t that. He was just…relaxed. Having a genuinely good time. It had been so long since she’d spent any extended time with him before coming to the island. He certainly seemed a lot more comfortable in his skin now. She hoped she’d get to see more of this throughout their vacation, but for now she had a very important question for him. “This girl…was her name Jin?” she asked innocently.

Zuko’s eyes widened, and a hot flush of embarrassed dread filled his stomach. He slowly nodded, and Katara cracked up laughing. Everyone else looked at her quizzically, and it took Katara a moment to regain her composure before she explained that she and Jin had become good friends in Ba Sing Se, and Jin had just _happened_ to mention going out on a date with a shy boy who she was stunned to learn was now the Fire Lord. Zuko groaned. Of course Katara had met Jin, and of _course_ they had become friends…

“And how did the demonstration go?” Sokka prompted.

“Not well. I threw some things up in the air and they fell down again.”

“Kinda like Sokka tonight!” Suki exclaimed, and the subject soon changed. The ‘young ones’, as Iroh affectionately called them, made plans to continue this soiree on the beach, as the others would soon be heading to bed. They seemed to have forgotten about Katara’s own escapades tonight. Even Zuko hadn’t mentioned it, and he was the one who had bargained for it.

Or so she thought. As they stepped outside, Zuko asked Katara: “So…what did you get up to tonight?” Katara smiled less than soberly at him.

That last drink had not been a good idea. Especially now she was back outside, it seemed to hit her all at once and she found she didn’t have a care in the world. “Oooh…I’ll give you a demonstration!” she said. Zuko was her friend, he wouldn’t think less of her, he’d find it funny. She began to walk towards him but was held back by Suki.

“ _I_ don’t think that’s such a good idea,” she smiled down at her friend. Katara shrugged.

“Sorry, Zuko!” He laughed quietly to himself. He would get it out of her eventually. Or one of the others. If a demonstration was required, it had to be good.

On the beach, Zuko bent them a fire and they gathered eagerly around it. Sokka and Toph began talking loudly about their plans for the future and making sure more reunions like this happened in their lives. Zuko observed them from across the fire. He noticed that Suki was being unusually quiet. He knew her secret, of course, but she had yet to tell Sokka. Fortunately, Sokka was too engrossed in the conversation and telling bad jokes to notice.

Katara leaned back, her palms resting on the log she shared with Zuko and sighed happily. This really was bliss. She had all of her favourite people around her (except for Gran-Gran and her father, of course), and for once they weren’t on a dangerous mission or being hunted or having to worry about just surviving. She had caught a glimpse of the lifestyle with Iroh in Ba Sing Se, and to a lesser extent with Aang while it had just been the two of them. Except where there was trouble, Aang had a tendency to follow it. Katara hadn’t minded. The Avatar’s purpose was to restore and maintain balance in the world. Following him headfirst into dangerous situations was pretty much part of the job description as the Avatar’s girlfriend. Or at least that was how Katara had seen it. For all the good it had done…

But she found she didn’t miss him. At all. If he turned up now, begging for her forgiveness and saying he wanted to get back together, she confidently felt she would refuse him. Although a part of her yearned for the taste of adventure, Katara had realised that Aang was no longer a necessary part of fulfilling that. If Katara wanted adventure, she could go out and find it herself. She was more than capable of handling herself. Sure, it would be nice to have company but she could always pop in on her friends. She had learnt her lesson after confessing to everyone. She wouldn’t leave them in the dark next time.

She now also firmly counted Zuko amongst that number. During the time they had spent together, their friendship had truly blossomed. It seemed like they could tell each other anything. They just had an understanding that neither had realised they desperately needed until they had found it in each other. Zuko had once admitted to her that he missed it all too. A lot. Being Fire Lord _was_ mostly what he had expected, but what he hadn’t anticipated was how empty he sometimes felt in the role. How powerless. Azula and her band of Kemurikage had shown him that better than any other threat could.

The two of them often joined Iroh on his evening constitutionals. It had become a bit of a habit for them, and Iroh loved having the companionship. Katara hung back to allow Zuko and Iroh to talk in peace, as she was often just enjoying the view, but Zuko usually found his way back to her. Iroh had a habit of taking a seat where the mood struck him and would begin meditating. Zuko joked he suspected his uncle just wanted a quick power nap.

When this happened, Katara and Zuko would walk a respectable distance away to leave him in peace and then sit down themselves. On particularly soft stretches of sand, they often found themselves lying side by side and just drinking in the cosmos. It was times like this that Zuko would open up to her. It was times like this that Katara felt closer to him than ever. She had realised that as fond as Zuko was of everyone in their party, he didn’t tend to speak a lot unless they were actively doing something, even if it was as simple as playing a game, or if he was alone with someone. During their stay on Ember Island, more and more often that someone was Katara.

They talked about anything and everything. They reminisced, they came up with whimsical theories to set the world to rights. Sometimes they even shared memories. Some of the ones from Zuko’s childhood were difficult to hear, as Zuko had spent much of it unhappy. Especially after his mother had been banished for treason. In turn, Katara told him of the fear and frustration she had sometimes felt as a child, being the Southern Water Tribe’s last and only waterbender. About how thrilled she’d been to get to the North Pole only to be told by her now step-grandfather that he wouldn’t train her because she was a girl, and for no other reason. Zuko listened with amusement as Katara told him about her challenge to Master Pakku, and how she had almost been victorious. Of course she had challenged him, Zuko thought. Even at fourteen, Katara had been determined and not to be underestimated in a fight. He himself knew that. She may have lost that particular battle but she had still won overall. Master Pakku changed his mind about teaching her shortly after. For all his faults, he was the one who had elevated her to the level of master waterbender, and no-one could take that away from her.

The one topic they never broached, though, was Zuko’s scar. Katara was curious about how he had got it, but she also knew that it must be a painful memory for him. Zuko never spoke about it and Katara didn’t want to push him. He would tell her if and when he was ready.

Snapping out of her daydream, she took in the firebender beside her. A wave of affection for her friend passed through her with her memories, and she threw her arms around him. He snapped out of his own reverie, startled.

“What’s that for?” he asked curiously.

“Nothing,” she said giddily. Zuko wasn’t sure what to do, and settled with patting her awkwardly on one of her arms, making Katara giggle. “I’m just feeling extra happy right now. It makes me affectionate. I could punch you on the arm like Toph if you prefer?”

“No, thanks,” Zuko said. “This is fine.” His features relaxed into a smile. Katara didn’t seem the least bit bothered that he wasn’t hugging her back. He was happy to, but the grip she had on him made it difficult to twist and face her. That and both of his arms were trapped beneath her. But when he thought about it, there was a very simple solution to that. “Here,” he muttered. He wrestled one of his arms free and wrapped it around her. She settled in closer, sighing with contentment.

“You’re, like, _such_ a good friend, Zuko,” she told him, slurring her words a little.

“Thank you,” he said awkwardly.

“No, really, really!” she insisted. “You’re…I think you’re, like, actually my _best_ friend!” She waited to gauge his reaction before continuing. “Honestly! I feel _so_ close to you. And not just cos we’re hugging.” Zuko felt a small flutter, but pushed it aside.

“I feel close to you, too,” he told her truthfully. She grinned at him. Good.

“You were the first person I told my secret to!”

“Why was that?”

“Errr…because you’re Zuko?” she said loudly. Zuko looked at her with confusion. “I just mean…like…like I knew you’d get it. If anyone was gonna get it, it would be you!”

“I see.”

“Okay now Zuko. Zuko!” she started, and reluctantly pulled out of their embrace. “I need you to look at me.” Zuko was already doing that but didn’t say anything. “Because…I have to tell you something.” He nodded. Her expression suddenly turned sad. Really sad, and full of guilt. “I was… _horrible_ to you, when you first came to us,” she said. “I am so sorry!”

“Katara, that was…years ago. And I deserved-”

“No!” Katara interrupted him loudly. “No you didn’t! I was a total bitch!”

“No you’re not!” Zuko retorted fiercely. “Don’t call yourself that. I chased you, I broke your trust. You reacted how any sane person would have done.”

“But…but Sokka and Toph took you so easily…”

“I think that just proves my point,” Zuko smiled at her. Katara looked momentarily confused then burst into giggles. “It was a long time ago,” Zuko reasoned. “You’re one of my closest friends now. It doesn’t matter.”

“That’s not true,” Katara whined tipsily. Her expression had turned sad again and she rested her head on his chest. They wrapped their arms back around each other and she gave him a squeeze. “You _do_ matter,” she said. “You matter to me…”

“That’s not what I…never mind.” Zuko smiled down at her and began stroking her head tenderly. Katara purred in response and nuzzled into him, giving him another squeeze. He knew there was a good chance she would fall asleep on him but he didn’t mind. She wasn’t anywhere near far enough gone to be in danger, not like some of the drunks he had seen during his travels. He knew the others would have got her to bed straightaway if that was the case. Like Katara had earlier, he felt a wave of affection for the waterbender sweep through him. She had called him her best friend. That meant more to Zuko than she could ever know, he thought. And now she was throwing her arms around him, just because. Like she truly wanted to just be close to him. He knew Katara had had a few drinks, but what was it Iroh said? Drunken words are sober thoughts? He hoped that was the case here… The last person who had been this affectionate with Zuko, outside of Iroh, Ursa and Kiyi of course, was Mai. And that had been a while ago now.

Then there had been Inari…but that didn’t count, as it had turned out. He had mostly succeeded in pushing his second ex-girlfriend from his mind, but occasionally she popped up in his head. He didn’t think of her fondly.

He thought of Mai still, though not wistfully like he used to. He hoped that she had found her calling in the Earth Kingdom. He hoped she was happy. He would always hold a special place for Mai in his heart. She had been his first love. And in some of his darker moments, especially after Inari, he believed she would be the only love he would get to experience back.

When he had been all but anonymous, girls seemed to show an interest in him and fawn over his well-toned body. Some girls, anyway. His scar hadn’t seemed to pull their focus as often as he thought it would. But now that he was Fire Lord, everything felt different. Women still approached him, but it was always noblewomen from well-to-do families who were seeking to advance in his court. He knew it wasn’t him they were attracted to, but his position, his political power. The promise of being by his side on the throne during their marriage. The hope that they would get to push their own agendas by whispering in his ear when his guard was down. Inari had been one such noblewoman, and she had been the only one to have fallen through the cracks. He didn’t trust any of them after that, much less wish to marry any of them.

He knew he would have to marry eventually, for the sake of his bloodline if nothing else, but a part of Zuko refused to give up the hope that he could yet marry for love and not politics, or ancestry as had been the case with his parents. His councillors may think they had a thing or two to say about his future wife, but ultimately the decision was Zuko’s. His uncle had told him that when the time came, he would know. Zuko had taken that to mean he would know when he was beaten and just resign himself to a loveless marriage in the hope that it produced heirs. It was the last thing he wanted but duty may well end up calling before he had a chance to discover the real thing…

“Looking cosy there!” Suki grinned as she sidled up to them. Sokka and Toph had decided that if they worked together, they could build the ultimate sandcastle, with Sokka’s experience in the Southern Water Tribe and Toph’s sandbending doing all the actual work. Suki had decided to leave them to it.

“It’s…it’s not-” Zuko said hurriedly, reddening slightly.

“Relax, I’m only kidding.” She took a seat beside him. “You know she’s asleep right?” Zuko smiled. The light snoring had given Katara away a moment ago.

“I know. I didn’t want to disturb her.” Suki smiled knowingly at him. It hadn’t escaped her notice, how much time the two had been spending together. Or how much more relaxed Zuko seemed to be around her. Suki had noticed a change in Zuko since they’d been here. He looked…happy. Happier than she’d seen him before. His uncle Iroh was a very smart man, suggesting this. A vacation with old friends had been exactly what Zuko needed.

“Have you…had a chance to talk to Sokka?” he asked quietly.

“Plenty of chances,” Suki sighed. “But I haven’t yet, no. I mean it’s not even confirmed yet,” she added, trying to justify her delay. “Have you heard from your councillors?” Zuko shook his head. As promised, he had sent them a messenger hawk after talking with her, but it seemed with or without him, his councillors were determined to make every simple decision as slow and long-winded as possible. But Zuko knew that wasn’t Suki’s real reason for not telling Sokka.

“What are you afraid of?” he asked her gently.

“That…it’ll be the end of us,” Suki told him honestly. Her voice cracked ever so slightly.

“Suki, you don’t have to stay in the Fire Nation.”

“Yes I do,” she insisted. “It’s right, I know it is. It’s what I’m meant to do. It feels like it’s my…destiny.”

“Well...that’s something I know a lot about.”

“So you get it. But…it’s going to be really hard. And I can’t ask him to come with me because he has his own responsibilities.”

“Isn’t that his choice?”

“It is,” Suki agreed after a pregnant pause. “And I’ll respect whatever choice he makes but…that doesn’t mean I’m going to like it.” If Zuko hadn’t had a sleeping Katara to contend with, he would have pulled Suki into a hug. He knew her well enough to understand she would be fine with that. As it was, the best he could do was offer her a comforting smile and a promise to listen if she needed to talk. He had stayed true to his word and not mentioned her plans to anybody. Not even Katara.

“Thanks,” Suki smiled sadly. She noticed that Zuko hadn’t moved an inch, for fear of disturbing Katara. If she hadn’t been in her cups, the next words may never have left her mouth. But she knew Zuko. Well. And this was something she didn’t want to keep in for propriety’s sake. “Can I offer you some advice?”

“Sure.” Zuko raised his eyebrows questioningly. Suki lowered her gaze to Katara and then looked back up at Zuko.

“It’s obvious how much you care about her,” she said, choosing her words carefully. Zuko didn’t bat an eyelid.

“Of course I do,” he replied, almost defensively. “She’s…she’s my friend.”

“Look, I might be reading way too much into this but…it seems like you care about her a lot more than that,” Suki pressed. Zuko didn’t say anything at first. He knew what Suki was getting at. But he didn’t want to dwell on something that would never happen. He had neither the time nor the inclination to escape into a stupid fantasy. And yet he couldn’t bring himself to lie to Suki. He accepted the truth that Katara was his friend and nothing more. Even that was amazing, considering how they had first met.

“So what if I do?” he finally sighed. “It doesn’t change anything.”

“It might…if you tell her,” Suki suggested cautiously. Zuko jolted at her words. Katara stirred in his arms but didn’t wake up.

“It won’t do any good,” he said bitterly. “We could lose what we already have. It just complicates things. Mai and I barely spoke for months after we broke up. Besides, it could never work. She’s Master Katara of the Water Tribe. I’m Fire Nation.”

“Do _you_ care about that?”

“Of course not!”

“Well, Aang was an Air Nomad and that didn’t bother her, so what’s your point?” Suki shrugged.

“He’s also the Avatar,” Zuko pointed out. To his mind, that was a valid exception. One that Zuko certainly didn’t qualify as.

“I don’t think that’s what mattered,” Suki told him gently. “But it’s up to you.” She glanced back down at Katara, whose mouth had ungracefully dropped open in her sleep. “I guess we should get the master waterbender up to bed, huh?”

“Yeah,” Zuko agreed. Together, they brought Katara back into semi-consciousness. Suki half-carried, half-walked Katara back up the steps to the house and Katara gave everyone a wave as she left. Zuko thought about what Suki had said. As lovely a notion as it was, being with Katara in that way, he knew his argument still stood firm. He really enjoyed the easy relationship he had with her now. And he very much looked forward to teasing her about this tomorrow.

It really wasn’t worth thinking about. His friendship with Katara was too high a price to pay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had a couple of nights out with my university drama group go like this. I have no regrets.
> 
> I used a Fire Nation name generator to come up with Amorai and Naja. Amorai was always going to be like he was written, but that name spilling out was just pure serendipity.
> 
> I did really want Zuko to be included on the night out, and when I originally wrote the scene he was, but I just couldn't convince myself that our slightly-hapless-in-social-situations Fire Lord Zuko would a) risk being recognised, and b) actually enjoy it. Sorry, Zuzu, but if I've read you as well as I think I have, you really wouldn't have liked it.
> 
> Thanks to the lovelies who commented on the last chapter!


	6. Best Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara and Zuko have a heart-to-heart; Sokka receives unexpected and distressing news from the South Pole.

It was very late in the morning by the time a bleary-eyed Katara stumbled into the sitting room. She had opted for the comfort of her familiar Water Tribe dress today, ignoring how it clung to her in the heat. Zuko was in an armchair with his nose buried in a scroll. Suki and Sokka were lounging on the sofa, Sokka nursing his head on Suki’s lap. He groaned occasionally, seemingly just to let the room know he was still there and suffering immensely. Katara’s own head had cleared, but not after a few fitful hours at dawn trying to get back to sleep because her body had ached too much to move.

“Morning,” Katara said feebly, sitting down on a cushion on the floor. Suki and Zuko looked up at her and smiled. Sokka groaned in response. “So…how much of an idiot did I make of myself last night?” Katara asked sheepishly. Suki struggled to suppress a grin.

“You mean you _don’t_ remember dipping Zuko last night and almost kissing him?” she teased. Both of her friends’ eyes widened in shock.

“ _What?!_ ” they both cried out simultaneously. Suki sniggered behind her hand.

“I’m kidding!” she told them with a hint of mischief in her voice. “No, you just did that to the actor who played Zuko from the Ember Island Players.” Zuko raised his eyebrows at Katara. She could feel his eyes on her and refused to look at him, her cheeks heating up as the memory came back to her. Sokka and Toph had filled him in about Amorai and Naja last night after Suki had taken Katara back to the house. Personally, Zuko was very glad he hadn’t been there. He’d managed to show enough displeasure at the mere thought of Amorai that Sokka had burst out laughing at him, Toph joining in just because she could. “Although…” Suki continued. “You were wrapped around actual Zuko for most of the night when we got back here.” Katara grimaced. Yes, she remembered that.

“Oh man!” she groaned, sinking her head into her hands. “I did do that, didn’t I?”

“Both of those things,” Suki helpfully reminded her.

“Both of those things.”

“Yup!” Suki giggled happily.

Katara finally plucked up the courage to look at Zuko, who had an indecipherable grin on his face. It was an oddly discomfiting sight, so rare were they. “Relax, Zuko, it’s not like I actually thought it was you,” she glared at him.

“Of course, of course,” he teased. “Why would you want the real thing when you can get a cheap knock-off?” His joke fell flat. If it had been the right time of day for crickets, Suki was sure they would have easily broken the deafening silence. It was too bad for Zuko, really, that the only person who would sincerely laugh at that was still in a state on Suki’s lap. Suki and Katara both shook their heads at him. He hurriedly buried his nose back in the scroll.

“Okay,” Katara sighed. “I’m just gonna go take a long walk…into the ocean.” She stood up to leave. She couldn’t help but feel hugely ashamed of last night. Yes it had all been in good fun, but _what_ had she been _thinking_?

Zuko stood up as well. “I’ll come with you,” he offered. He had thought about what Suki said to him last night. A lot. And while she might be right, he still decided to continue treating Katara as a friend. His best friend. That was more than enough for him.

“Zuko, I was kidding, I’m not really going to drown myself,” Katara replied wearily.

“Sorry, can’t take that risk,” Zuko smiled at her. “What are best friends for?” Katara stopped. She had said that, hadn’t she? She regarded him silently. Zuko seemed…he seemed different. Much more sure of himself. She liked that he could relax around her. And in his own way, he helped her feel more at ease too, though she couldn’t explain why or how. He just did.

Or perhaps she was just reading too much into it. Either way, she really liked spending time with him. Even if right now she knew he had an ulterior motive…making damn sure she relived all the embarrassing moments of last night in vivid detail. She was just thankful all she had done was hug him. She couldn’t imagine if she had actually kissed him…

“Okay,” she said measuredly. “Then as my best friend, is there any chance you won’t mock me the whole time?”

“Probably not.”

“At least you’re honest, buddy,” Katara groaned at him and started walking down the hall.

“That’s the spirit!” he chuckled as he followed her, leaving a nonplussed Suki and a completely unaware Sokka in his wake. When he caught up with her, he added. “But listen, if you do, uh, want to ‘dip’ me, could I have some warning first?”

“Knock it off, Zuko!” Katara retorted, playfully punching him on the arm. Suki only heard the grunt and assumed that was what had happened.

That had escalated quickly. Had Zuko listened to her? Is that what this was? Suki herself had obviously had a bit to drink, but that just meant she couldn’t stop herself from spilling her advice. Not that she’d imagined things. It was clear that Zuko had feelings for Katara. And it seemed very much like Katara had…something, at least, for Zuko. Even if it was just a fling, it might be good for the two of them to get it out of their system. It might help them both realise they could be with other people and move on…but she also worried she should have kept her mouth shut. If something did happen and it all fell apart, she would be responsible. It would break Zuko’s heart, losing Katara’s friendship which she knew meant so much to him. She wanted desperately to run after them, to grab Zuko and tell him she had been wrong and she shouldn’t have said anything.

‘But he’s the one who pointed it out,’ she reminded herself. He was the one who had been hesitant, because he valued the friendship. Maybe this was just him being, though she could hardly believe it, playful.

She resolved that going after them would only humiliate Zuko and probably cause more problems than it solved. She would just have to watch them when they came back. And maybe have another talk with Zuko.

****

The promised mocking had been rather short-lived as it turned out, and Katara and Zuko fell into a companionable silence as they walked. Katara was still reeling internally from her antics of the night before, and she could only be grateful to her drunken self that she hadn’t done worse. She didn’t know _what_ had possessed her to play Amorai at his own game like that, but she had to admit, the looks of shock on Sokka and Suki’s faces had made the whole thing worthwhile. Katara knew she wasn’t always classically ‘fun’ to be around, but how could she be? She and Sokka had both had to grow up before their time, and even though Katara was younger, the expectation had still fallen to her as a girl more than it had to Sokka. It was accepted he would need time to develop into a man capable of protecting the tribe. Katara had been given no such luxury. It certainly hadn’t been an unhappy childhood, but it wasn’t much of one as childhoods went.

It did make her wonder though, why now? Why had she decided now to just…cut loose, as Sokka would say? She didn’t want to believe it was just because she and Aang had split up. That had been months ago now, and if that was the reason, what did it say about their relationship? The more she thought about it, though, the more it made sense. She had gone from being responsible for helping prop up the tribe to being responsible for Aang, Sokka and later Toph, because the spirits knew they weren’t going to do it themselves. They had settled into a comfortable routine in which Katara did most of the chores and had to continue to put her needs by the wayside for the sake of the needs of their group. When the war ended, and the group had trickled to just her and Aang, that routine had never really stopped. It had been such a habit for her that she had tried to do the same with Iroh, but he wouldn’t have any of it. It hadn’t escaped her notice that she hadn’t felt the same strong inclination when they’d arrived on Ember Island. This was largely helped by the fact that nothing needed doing, thanks to Zuko’s diligence, but all the same.

It was funny how her relationship with Zuko had taken such a turn. She had gone from not truly believing they were real friends to feeling closest to him in their group in the space of a few days. If she had just given him a chance earlier in their travels…but what difference would that have made in reality? He was the Fire Lord and she had been the Avatar’s girlfriend. Each came with their own duties that rarely overlapped. She hoped they would keep in touch this time, though. Wherever she ended up…

They had walked through the forest and emerged on a high cliff. They could see the private beach from there as well as the house. This was far enough, she decided. It wasn’t so much the walk as the time to think she had craved. Fortunately Zuko seemed to understand that, and was just as lost in his thoughts as Katara. She sat down on the lush grass that feathered the clifftop, stretching her legs out in front of her before giving in and reclining fully. Zuko did the same. As they lay side by side, they began to talk, almost to themselves. Somehow they got on to the topic of their first loves.

“Do you miss him?” Zuko asked her.

“I actually don’t,” she admitted. “I was devastated when he first left but…being in Ba Sing Se gave me a lot of time to think and I realised…we were better off without each other. He broke my heart after _everything_ I had done for him. I stuck with him through thick and thin. I haven’t always agreed with what he’s done, but I was always _there_. I trusted him and his judgement.” Zuko knew that all too well. At the Western Air Temple, after all, the only reason Katara had agreed to let Zuko join was because she was willing to go along with whatever Aang thought was right. “What about you?” She turned her head towards him. “Do you miss Mai?”

“Sometimes,” Zuko sighed. “Not…not like that, but…it was nice having her around.”

“Is there definitely no chance?” Katara asked cautiously. Zuko shook his head.

“No, it’s done,” he confirmed. Katara tried hard to ignore the small flutter of hope in her chest at his response. “Mai would never have been happy with me.” Katara began to protest, but Zuko continued: “She spent her whole life cooped up being told what to do. The only time she really came alive was when she was fighting and thinking for herself.”

“Like Toph,” she remarked.

“Yeah, actually,” he agreed. “She might have loved me once but being Fire Lady would have destroyed her. And she would have let it, for some godforsaken sense of duty. I would have been happy, I think, but she wouldn’t have been, not really. And that would have been wrong. What’s the point in marrying for love if you’re not going to make each other happy?”

“I…couldn’t agree more,” Katara replied, slightly bewildered at the emotion in his voice. She supposed she and Zuko had never really talked about Mai before. The way he spoke about her, it was clear he still cared for her but as a person in her own right, not just as his ex-girlfriend. This was another one of those times where Zuko was happily opening up to her. She was glad he felt he could trust her. For a long time, trust had been out of the question for Zuko and Katara. Even after she forgave him, she still couldn’t have said for certain if she fully _trusted_ him. She knew he would stay on side and he wouldn’t just desert them but she also feared that he would fail to resist temptation a second time, if it ever arose. When Zuko had asked Katara, of all their group, to help him with Azula, that was when she had known. Since then, she had trusted him, and he her. Completely and fully.

If Katara was honest with herself, she had a small confession to make. She did regard Zuko as her best friend, she really did…but that was all she had _allowed_ herself to express. Even in her drunken state, she hadn’t dared to do more than test the waters. See how he reacted to it. Their newfound closeness had brought on a whole raft of feelings for him. It hadn’t escaped her notice how ruggedly handsome he was, or how strong, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was that he was kind, caring, loyal, brave, intelligent…but above all, he let her be who she was. Zuko didn’t balk when she told him some of the darker things in her mind, things she wouldn’t have dreamed of telling Aang. Zuko didn’t expect her to be this sweet, light, positive, perfect person all the time. He understood her humanity and the darkness that sometimes came with it. He had had his own to contend with. Yet in many ways, she felt he was a much better person than her. He had dragged himself out of it. Katara sometimes felt as though she was only sinking into it further.

If that was the case, she was glad she had Zuko by her side. If anyone could help drag her out if it got to that stage, she had a feeling it would be him. And it wouldn’t destroy their friendship in the process.

“I think Aang’s biggest problem was that he expected me to be this…perfect…goddess all the time,” she mused, as much to herself as to Zuko. “And then, when he realised I wasn’t, he bailed.”

“I think Mai was the same,” Zuko said. “Not about me, but about herself. I never demanded that of her, but she seemed to think I did. Especially after I was crowned.”

“To be fair, Aang didn’t _demand_ it,” Katara continued. “Not out loud. But it was also super clear when he was disappointed in me.”

“What could he possibly have been disappointed in you for?” Zuko asked incredulously. Katara shrugged nonchalantly.

“Sometimes, I think he thought I was a little too harsh if we were negotiating. And then of course there was that whole mess in Yu Dao.”

“What about it?”

“Well, I pointed out to him and the Earth King that you weren’t being difficult, you just had legitimate concerns for your citizens,” she told him. “And Aang wasn’t…he just…he didn’t seem too happy with me for that. He never said anything, but I could tell. I’d known him long enough.”

“So what, he just expected you to blindly agree with him on everything?” Zuko was beginning to feel a bit frustrated now. Had Aang always been like that? Had he just not noticed because he had never been an integral part of the group? Or was Katara a special case, because of Aang’s feelings for her?

“I don’t think so. Aang’s not like that. I guess he was more surprised than anything. Up until that point, I rarely went against his decisions because, you know, I agreed with them.” That was fair enough, Zuko supposed. But that was a ridiculous amount of pressure to put on your girlfriend. He knew Aang was young and boyish, which was really just polite code for ‘immature’, and because of that his relationship skills were fairly stunted. The spirits knew Zuko hadn’t always been a good boyfriend to Mai, but he liked to think he’d learned from it. Maybe Aang would, too. He noticed Katara looking at him expectantly, and realised she had been talking while he’d been lost in his thoughts.

“Sorry, what?” Katara smirked at him.

“Mai was right about one thing.” Despite himself, Zuko’s heart fluttered.

“What…what’s that?” he asked her nervously.

“I really miss fighting. Is that awful?”

“If it is, that makes me awful, too,” he shrugged. “I think we spent so long learning and honing our skills that it’s natural. It’s like you spent so long pouring your heart and soul into something, and when it’s gone you feel a little…”

“Empty,” she finished for him. He nodded. “Zuko, can I tell you a secret?”

“Of course.”

Katara sat up. She didn’t want to look at him as she said this.

“When I was fighting those firebenders in the Earth Kingdom village, I…kind of enjoyed it. I know it was terrible, and awful for those poor people but…it was the most exhilarating thing I’d felt in a long time. I really wouldn’t have used the bloodbending if I hadn’t had to but I also wasn’t exactly sorry that it was needed.”

“That is a little dark,” Zuko mused. Katara felt a pang of worry in her chest. Had she gone too far? “I had no idea you had it in you,” he smiled. She pouted at him. He was teasing her.

“Stop it,” she chided gently. “I don’t know, I guess it’s more that _if_ they were going to attack, I was glad they did it while I was there. I was glad I had to be the one to fight them off.”

“Katara, it’s okay, you don’t have justify yourself,” he reassured her. “I think I’d feel the same. I _know_ Mai feels the same. I get it.”

“Why do you think we like conflict so much?” she wondered aloud.

“Because it’s what we’re used to,” Zuko replied surely. “And, unlike me, you’ve always used your bending for good. I’m not sure if it’s the fighting you enjoy. I think it’s that you know you’re helping people.”

“Don’t get me wrong, that helps, but I _definitely_ like the fighting.”

“Do you want to fight me?” Zuko asked her suddenly. He sat up.

“Huh?” was all a completely perplexed Katara could utter.

“We could spar,” he suggested. “You’re probably due an ass-kicking, anyway.” He grinned at her. Katara gasped in mock outrage.

“Excuse me, I think you’ll find I won my last few fights against firebenders!” she pointed out indignantly.

“Yes, but not me,” Zuko chuckled.

“I’m hungover,” she pointed out. “You know I could take you in a fight on any other day.”

“The master waterbender’s going to let a simple hangover get in her way?” he goaded her. Katara rolled her eyes. He smirked as she scowled at him.

“If Fire Lord Zuko thinks that jibe is going to convince the master waterbender, he’s going to be very disappointed,” she taunted, smirking back. She lay back down and indignantly folded her arms under her head, settling down, grinning as she watched Zuko figure out the best way to respond.

“If the master waterbender’s too afraid, I’ll accept your surrender now – I’m gracious like that.” Katara let out another mock gasp of outrage, but couldn’t keep herself from giggling.

“If Fire Lord Zuko doesn’t stop, the master waterbender will give him an ass-kicking of his own.”

“Are you threatening the Fire Lord, Master Katara?” he retorted in a mock-scolding tone.

“It was your idea!” Katara protested, sitting back up. She caught Zuko’s smirk, and the two broke out into laughter at how ridiculous they were being. Seeing Zuko’s face lit up with genuine mirth stirred something in Katara that she couldn’t quite explain. But it made her feel peaceful. She realised she didn’t think she had seen Zuko laugh before. _Ever_. It was…she couldn’t think of the word, but it was something to behold. Her face relaxed into a bright smile of its own as her eyes met Zuko’s.

It took them both a few moments of looking into each other’s gazes to realise that neither of them were laughing anymore.

Katara suddenly felt extremely aware of her surroundings, and particularly aware of the firebender sitting just inches from her. She felt something deep within her itching, _yearning_ , to move towards him. Her hands balled into fists as she imagined wrapping them around him. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears as she thought of his lips... She couldn’t remember when she’d started thinking about them, but right now, in this moment, they were all that could fill her mind. His amber eyes scrutinised her intensely and she found herself wondering if he could read her thoughts. She kept her expression as neutral as possible, but she could feel herself start to give in. She began breathing heavily as her mind fought seemingly every muscle in her body.

‘What am I _doing_?’ she chastised herself. ‘This is _Zuko_. I’m being ridiculous. I’m probably just upset about Aang…’ It wasn’t the first time, after all. Katara had given in then. She wouldn’t do so now.

Unbeknownst to Katara, Zuko could feel a similar urge bubbling up inside him. He shook himself. This was _Katara_. The master waterbender. His confidante. His friend. And the former lover of one of his other close friends. ‘What I’m feeling is wrong,’ he told himself resolutely. ‘She’s my best friend. She wouldn’t want this.’ But it hadn’t escaped his notice just how agitated Katara seemed to become. She looked like she was trembling. He pushed all desirous thoughts from his mind as concern for her flooded his system.

“Katara, are you okay?” he asked her.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she replied, standing up quickly. Zuko stood up too, not believing her. She lifted one of her arms to tuck a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. She walked up to him and pulled him in for a hug. “Thank you, Zuko,” she breathed. He squeezed her reassuringly. He was still confused but decided to just let it be. He smiled and peacefully sank into the hug, his head on her shoulder.

“What for?” he asked softly.

“For forgiving me,” she whispered. “And being my friend, being here…I think I just need a hug,” she admitted. “You’re a good hugger.”

“There’s nothing to forgive, Katara,” he reassured her, but gave her another affectionate squeeze all the same. “But don’t think this means I’m going to forget what we talked about. You’re still due an ass-kicking,” he smirked. Katara pulled away from him, her face lit up with a mischievous grin of her own. Her arms were still wrapped around his waist.

“That sounds like a challenge, Fire Lord Zuko,” she retorted, a certain sultriness to her tone. Zuko really didn’t know what to say to that. His heart gave another flutter, and a pleasant feeling of warmth pooled in his stomach, that had nothing to do with firebending. He had felt like this before, but…not for a long time.

“Well,” he stuttered uncertainly as he met her mischievous gaze. “Master Katara, maybe one day…you’ll be up to meeting it.” Katara gasped in mock outrage then burst out laughing.

“Oh, you are _so_ on!” she promised him with glee, poking him playfully in the ribs. “You know what? You want to do this right now? Let’s go!”

Zuko did. He really did. But not in the way Katara had meant it. He shifted awkwardly, acutely aware that his own arms were still wrapped around Katara. She had made no attempt to move or break their embrace. It felt nice, holding her in his arms.

“Uh…” he stuttered, at a loss for what else to say. As silence fell between them, Katara’s own mischievous expression faded, and was replaced with concern. Something was going on with Zuko. He had, for no discernible reason, completely clammed up on her.

“Zuko, are _you_ okay?” she asked. He nodded uncertainly. “You can talk to me if something’s bothering you,” she offered, not convinced. There was something bothering Zuko, that much was very true. But Katara was probably the last person he should be discussing it with. He regarded her silently. Her gorgeous, chestnut-coloured hair rustled in the wind, a few strands occasionally brushing his face. Her deep blue eyes, to his pleasant surprise, were filled with genuine worry. Worry for _him_. Her lips were slightly parted as she waited for him to respond. Those lips…Zuko was filled with such an intense longing to press his own against them, to kiss her with all he had, to show her just how much she meant to him.

Without being able to stop himself, Zuko’s hand left her waist and reached for one of hers. Surprised, Katara took it and interlaced their fingers. “It’s okay, Zuko,” she whispered tenderly, and gave his hand a comforting squeeze. She tried hard to ignore the spark of energy that passed between them as they touched. She tried even harder to ignore the pleasant, familiar jolt in her stomach that came in moments like this. Well, moments like this with someone she really liked…

‘I really like Zuko, huh?’ she realised. ‘ _Really_ like him.’ She felt like she was frozen to the spot. She couldn’t move away even if she wanted to. When…did this even happen?

Did it matter?

Katara felt that same urge kick in, the one that had been begging her to close the gap between them. They were already hugging, but his lips were so tantalisingly close…

Zuko’s mind, in turn, had completely emptied, and his body took over. Without thought, unable to stop themselves even if they wanted to, Katara and Zuko both found themselves slowly leaning in towards each other.

Suddenly, they both heard rustling in the trees and then the sound of footsteps thudding heavily, getting closer. By unspoken agreement, they sprang apart and instinctively took up defensive stances. They turned their backs to one another without evening thinking about it, and waited…

Sokka virtually fell through the trees, gasping for breath. They were both taken aback by his sudden arrival but relaxed.

“Katara, _there_ you are!” Sokka panted.

“Sokka, what is going on?” Katara called to him, stepping towards her flustered big brother. “Wait…how did you even know we were-?”

“I _need_ to talk to you!” Sokka pleaded desperately. Katara only nodded, perplexed and concerned. Sokka _rarely_ got this wound up. Something really bad had to have happened. Sokka sighed, both in relief and despair. Katara threw a glance back at Zuko uncertainly.

“I’ll, uh, head back,” Zuko volunteered, taking the hint. Katara nodded gratefully at him, but Sokka didn’t seem to notice. Katara watched Zuko as he headed back through the trees, wondering what had just transpired between them. If anything. It was probably just her…although Zuko had been the one to take her hand.

But right now, that wasn’t important, she told herself. Right now, Sokka needed her.

He paced back and forth along the clifftop agitatedly. He kept muttering under his breath, but so far Katara hadn’t been able to get a single iota of sense out of him. She kept trying to interrupt his tirade, but he didn’t seem to hear her.

“What am I going to do? What am I going to _do_?”

“Sokka!” she said forcefully. “What is going on?” He finally stopped and looked at her, his face crestfallen. Wordlessly, he pulled a rolled up parchment from one of the pockets of his tunic and handed it to her. The parchment was bound by a blue ribbon, and she recognised the polar bear dog emblem on the broken seal. It was from the Water Tribe. She unrolled it curiously and instantly recognised Hakoda’s handwriting. “Hey, it’s from dad!” she exclaimed excitedly. She looked up at Sokka but his face told her this was the source of his anguish. The blood in her veins suddenly turned to ice. She thought she’d figured it out. “No,” she said softly, her own face matching Sokka’s. “No. Is it Gran-Gran?” Sokka shook his head. Katara let out a sigh of relief. That was some good news at least. But whatever it was had really rattled her brother. Katara looked down at the parchment again. She frowned. “It’s…only addressed to you,” she realised out loud. “Do you want me to-?”

“Just read it, Katara,” Sokka replied forlornly. His legs felt like jelly and it took every ounce of his strength not to just collapse onto the grass below his feet. He waited and watched as Katara began reading.

“Okay,” she muttered as she read, more for Sokka’s benefit than anything. “Uh-huh…oh…oh! Oooohhh…” Suddenly it was all very clear. She looked up at him sadly, lost for words.

“What am I going to do, Katara?” he asked her desperately.

“You could…” she stammered, thinking on her feet. “You could…I don’t know, you could turn it down?”

“You know I can’t,” Sokka sighed in defeat. Even if Hakoda’s decision as Chief of the united Southern Water Tribe wasn’t final, Sokka was by far and away the best man for the job. No-one else could possibly hope to match his experience. If Hakoda was as serious as he said he was about opening up the Southern Water Tribe – and judging by this letter he was – Sokka was the natural choice, as the Chief’s son and as part of the team who had been instrumental in ending the war. The only other person who would have been equally as qualified was Katara. It would have stung that she had not been considered, had she not remembered that Hakoda had no idea what had happened. As far as her father knew, she was still with Aang travelling around the world.

“Sokka…” Katara began slowly. She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Maybe this doesn’t have to be as bad as you think.”

“It would never work, Katara!” Sokka protested loudly, and frustratedly kicked at the ground. “It’s already hard enough being away from her, and at least Kyoshi Island is only a couple of days away!”

“Talk to her,” Katara pressed. “Maybe she can come with you?”

“I can’t ask her to do that! The Kyoshi Warriors are her life!”

“Shouldn’t that be her decision?” Katara pointed out, raising an eyebrow at him. For how much his attitude towards women had improved over the years, he could still be incredibly dense sometimes. “You’re not doing her a favour by keeping this quiet,” she persisted. “All you’re doing is taking her choice away from her-”

“I know!” Sokka groaned. His legs finally gave in and he flopped onto the sand, his legs crossed and his head in his hands. “I know all that! But…what if she does say no? It would break my heart.”

“What if she says yes?” Katara reasoned, crouching down next to him.

“She won’t. She can’t.” He groaned again and drew his knees up to his chest. He rested his head on them and began muttering to himself again. Katara could only hear snatches of what he was saying, and she rubbed his back comfortingly. “How did I ever think this was going to work? I’m so _stupid_.”

“I thought you only just found out?” Katara queried, puzzled.

“You don’t get it, Katara,” Sokka sighed. His eyes pricked with tears of frustration and sadness, but he refused to let them fall. Katara noticed the struggle he was holding with himself but chose not to comment. If Sokka was in his normal mood, he would go on a tirade about how him crying wasn’t ‘manly’. “I was…I was going to ask her to marry me.”

“What?!” Katara gasped. Sympathy was quickly replaced by excitement and she clapped a hand to her mouth. “Sokka!”

“I thought if…if she was on Kyoshi Island and I was at the South Pole, we could find a way to make it work. Now that the rebuilding’s done, I can do most of what I need to do by messenger hawk. Dad wouldn’t need me in the South Pole, except for meetings and stuff.”

“You were…going to move to Kyoshi Island for her?” Katara was stunned. She knew that Sokka was besotted with Suki, but she’d never honestly imagined he would be so prepared, happy even, to uproot his whole life like that for her. She’d never really considered the future of their relationship at all. They were Suki and Sokka. They just _worked_ , all odds be damned. She hadn’t realised how much thought and time Sokka had put into trying to make sure they could even have a future.

“Of course I was,” Sokka told her. “I love her more than anything.”

“I know you do,” Katara said softly. “That’s why you need to talk to her.”

“I know,” Sokka agreed sadly. “But how can we possibly have a future if we’re half a world away from each other all the time?”

“Well, Suki _does_ spend a few months a year in the Fire Nation…” Katara mused. Suki had told her that.

“Only three,” Sokka pointed out. “I can’t spend most of my life apart from my own wife.” His own wife. That was a strange but beautiful thought. Katara could hardly imagine her stupid big brother being a married man. But she also knew that Sokka would make a fantastic husband. Suki found his quirks charming and amusing rather than annoying. There would be a lot of laughter in their marriage, Katara was certain. Except now, their father had inadvertently destroyed any hopes or prospects they may have had.

“I’m sure if you explained to dad, he would understand,” Katara said, hoping she sounded reassuring.

“You know as well as I do that he’d want to,” Sokka sighed. “But I’m his son. I have a duty. And it’s for the good of the Tribe.”

“Well…maybe it won’t be permanent.”

“It doesn’t matter. She probably would have said no anyway.”

“ _Why_ would you think that?”

“She’s way too good for me. I don’t know why she’s still with me.”

“Because she loves you, you big goofball!” Katara told him forcefully. “Come on, Sokka! You broke her out of the most high-security prison in the most high-security nation! You single-handedly planned the invasion on the day of Black Sun, you-”

“Do I need to remind you what a disaster that was?” Sokka argued.

“That had _nothing_ to do with your plan,” Katara reasoned. “You _know_ it would have worked.”

“What’s your point?” he asked her glumly.

“My point is you’re the ideas guy,” she smiled at him. “If I got trapped somewhere inescapable, there’s no-one I’d trust more to break me out of there than you. You can find a way around this, I know you can. But _not_ ,” she emphasised, “if you’re not honest with Suki.”

“I know you’re right,” Sokka conceded. “I really should talk to her.” His chest ached at the thought. Would she be sad? Would she be angry? He thought he’d prefer her to be angry. If she started crying, Sokka would break down in an instant. He loved Suki with every fibre of his being. He thought he played it off well, but by the spirits it could be genuinely painful in the South Pole without her. He wasn’t short of friends, or drinking buddies, back home. He had his work to keep him busy during the day and had passed many a raucous evening in the tavern with his friends. But then he’d have to crawl back into an empty bed, alone. There were plenty of occasions he’d struggle to sleep for thinking about her. Sometimes he would watch the moon as the hours passed by. Sometimes it would comfort him. Other times, though, he just felt guilty. Whether it was for Suki or Yue he wasn’t sure. He no longer had the same intense feelings for Yue as he had four years ago, but he knew in his heart he still loved her. He always would. Just not in the same way as he had. And Suki…Suki was the one for him, he knew it. No-one understood him like she did. No-one could put up with his antics and laugh lovingly with him like she did.

He looked up at his sister. “Katara, please don’t tell anyone about this. Not before I’ve spoken to Suki. Not about this and especially not about me wanting to marry her. Promise me.”

“Of course I promise!”

“Not even Zuko.” She raised her eyebrows at him. “Don’t give me that look. You tell each other everything!” That was fair, she supposed. A small smile escaped her lips as she thought of him. She hoped Sokka hadn’t noticed.

“Well, yes, we do but honestly I think there’s a good chance he already knows,” she reasoned. “Dad probably wrote to him too.”

Sokka closed his eyes and groaned again. “Of course he did.”

“It makes sense. He’s the Fire Lord,” Katara added. “He should probably know who his new ambassador to the Southern Water Tribe is.” Sokka nodded in understanding, but he still didn’t feel too happy about it. He knew Zuko and Suki were good friends. What if he said something? As if she read his mind, Katara added: “Zuko won’t say anything if that’s what you’re worried about,” she assured him confidently.

“Actually, Katara, while we’re here…I want to talk to you about Zuko as well,” Sokka began carefully. Suki had told him what had happened last night, while he and Toph had been busy building their masterpiece sand sculpture, a replica of the new Southern Water Tribe. By the time they had finished, he excitedly turned to show the girls but found only Zuko sitting on the log, looking – oddly for Zuko – at peace with everything. He sighed. He had other things on his mind, but this was something that was bothering him. He, through Suki and the letters the two men had exchanged, knew Zuko better than anyone else thought. Better, in some ways, than his sister.

“Oh…okay,” Katara replied, the question and confusion evident as the words rolled off her tongue.

“Look, I know it’s none of my business, but…you need to be careful there.”

“Of _Zuko_?” Katara scoffed. Her face darkened. “What are you talking about, Sokka, he’s our friend! How could you even _think_ that…?” She trailed off as Sokka shook his head.

“That’s not what I meant,” Sokka replied earnestly. “Suki told me what you said last night.”

“And what was that exactly?” Katara questioned, crossing her arms. Just where was Sokka going with this?

“You said he was your best friend,” he reminded her. Katara started, and relaxed.

“Oh that? Yeah, that was just–”

“Katara, that is a _really_ big deal for Zuko,” Sokka continued, cutting her off. “You know that Zuko didn’t really have any friends before he joined us.” Katara nodded slowly. “So…can you see why it would be important to him that someone thought he was their best friend?” Katara nodded again. She felt a pang in her chest. Sympathy? Affection? She wasn’t sure. “Just…look, I know you’d been drinking but, he seemed really different this morning. Did you notice?” Admittedly, Sokka hadn’t been the one to spot it. That observation had also come courtesy of Suki when Sokka had rejoined the land of the living after his last groaning spell.

“Yeah…” Katara whispered.

“Suki told me that that’s the sort of thing Zuko would take to heart,” Sokka continued. “So…just, you know, be careful.”

“What are you saying?” Katara asked. “You think I’d hurt him?”

“Not on purpose,” Sokka qualified. “But…if you didn’t mean it, I think that would hurt him, yes. He’s had a hard enough time trusting people. I have to ask, did you mean it? Because if you didn’t, I think-”

“Yes, I did,” Katara promised her brother confidently. “It’s crazy, I know, but I do feel really close to Zuko. He just understands me. And honestly, he makes a lot more sense to _me_ now. I guess I just needed to grow up a little before I saw that.” Sokka nodded. “But, thank you for telling me, Sokka. I…I do really care about him. And I feel like I have a lot to make up for. I was such a bitch when he first asked for our forgiveness.”

“Maybe you were a little harsh,” Sokka agreed. “But come on, it was weird for all of us!” That much was true, Katara supposed. “And he’s forgiven you. The fact that you’re his friend now means a lot to him, you have no idea.”

“I’m kind of surprised you do,” Katara admitted.

“We’ve written to each other,” Sokka shrugged. “Men can discuss feelings, too, you know.”

“Oh I know that. I just didn’t realise _you_ could,” Katara teased. Sokka punched her playfully on the arm, making her giggle. “For what it’s worth, I think the fact that we are _all_ his friends is what means a lot to him. There’s nothing special about me.”

“You’re probably right about that – ow!” Sokka yelped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who commented on the last chapter! I think 'Embers' is among the most light-hearted stories I have ever written, and I won't lie, it does give me the fuzzies sometimes.
> 
> I know it may seem like I'm overplaying how much 'best friends' means to Zuko, but I can say from experience that even at his age, it is something that feels like a big deal if you haven't grown up with it. I feel like Zuko is someone who would cling to titles like that, as it allows him to fill a specific 'role'. As someone with a bit of social anxiety myself, that can be really comforting.
> 
> Next chapter will be up next week :)


	7. The Ember Island Festival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The royal party attend a festival, where Noren bonds with Zuko, Sokka mopes, and Kiyi does the impossible and brings Toph to her knees.

Sokka was extremely restless that evening, and spent most of it lost in thought. After his earlier conversation with Katara, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about his news. He hadn’t plucked up the nerve to talk to Suki yet, but he promised himself and Katara that he would. Just maybe not tonight…

Toph was loudly telling everyone about what she and Zuko’s family had got up to for the day. They had ventured into one of the other towns that Ember Island had to offer, one that had just installed a new zoo filled with Fire Nation creatures. Part of Katara regretted that she hadn’t been awake early enough to join them, but for Sokka’s sake, another part of her was very glad she hadn’t. Kiyi had adored the komodo-rhinos, of course. Toph had turned out to be a very useful companion in the nocturnal enclosure, which was kept in a permanent state of darkness for the animals’ comfort. Sokka had been especially delighted when she told him the enclosure was called the ‘Noctunnel’. One of the animals, a burrowing creature which reminded Toph of a badger-mole, seemed to have taken a real shine to her. It had sniffed at her curiously and followed her wherever she went from underground. The four who had missed out agreed that they would have to go themselves and they would have to take Kiyi with them under pain of her not speaking to them ever again.

The highlight of Toph’s day, however, had been when they had encountered Naja, her friend from the tavern the night before, whilst they had been taking lunch in a restaurant. While Iroh and the others did some shopping, Toph and Naja had gone for a walk and picked up their conversation with ease. Toph didn’t like many people on first impression, but she felt she had found somewhat of a kindred spirit in Naja. He was much younger than he looked, though old enough to have a betrothed, and he had excitedly been telling Toph all about him. Toph insisted that the three of them meet up for drinks before her vacation was over, and she would drag her friends along as well. She promised Naja she would get a messenger hawk over to him. She wasn’t sure how much discretion was still needed with regards to her companions’ royal status and thought it would be safer if she made the arrangements.

As the night wore on, everyone slowly trickled to bed and Zuko and Katara were the last two standing. For her part, she hadn’t forgotten the conversation with Sokka about Zuko. It had been bothering her, what Sokka said about Zuko not really having friends before them. She supposed she must have known that already, but somehow Sokka had made it truly sink in. She had no intention of bringing it up, it would most likely just make him feel embarrassed, and that was the last thing she wanted. She had been drunk when she’d loudly proclaimed Zuko was her best friend, but that didn’t mean it wasn't real. They were incredibly close, they told each other everything, and they were always perfectly comfortable with one another, even if all they did was sit in companionable silence.

And then of course, there had been their conversation that day and the moment they shared afterwards. Katara couldn’t say for certain if she would have actually _done_ it. If she would have actually kissed him…would Zuko have even wanted her to? Would he have kissed her back? She was burning to ask him all of those questions, but got a hold of herself. Zuko had seemed to be very relaxed this evening. Their moment wasn’t bothering him, she thought. What was the point in bringing it up?

“Can I tempt you with one more?” Katara asked, brandishing the bottle of rice wine. There were only a few remnants left. She knew she shouldn’t be drinking again, not after how she’d felt this morning, but she’d thrown caution to the wind when it was offered to her by Iroh. She was on vacation, after all.

“I’m not sure that’s the best idea,” Zuko smiled at her.

“Never said it was,” Katara shrugged, grinning. Zuko couldn’t argue with that and held his glass out for her to pour into. “So what do you think, Zuko?” she asked, leaning back against the sofa on her cushion. Zuko sat across the table from her. “Are you regretting inviting us all here yet?” Zuko sniggered.

“Regret’s a strong word…” he mused playfully, causing Katara to giggle. “Of course not. I was…I was a little worried about it, to be honest.” Katara nodded, listening, and took a sip of her wine. “I don’t know why.” Katara regarded him thoughtfully. She knew Zuko had a certain amount of anxiety about social situations, especially ones where he was the centre of attention, but again, the full implications of this hadn’t hit home until Sokka had pointed them out. She didn’t know how she had been so blind to it before. It hadn't been that long since she’d got to know the real Zuko, the Zuko that was before her, the one who happily opened up to her and she to him, but all the same.

“To be honest, I think you were always going to be safe,” she said gently. “Toph’s loud and Sokka, as much as I love him, is a goofball. It’s hard to feel awkward around them.”

“I guess I was more worried about everyone feeling awkward around me,” Zuko admitted.

“Why?” He shrugged. He knew he made people feel uncomfortable sometimes. Sometimes that could simply be attributed to the fact that he was Fire Lord, but other times he knew that wasn’t it. He didn’t know if it was the sight of his scar that made them awkward, or if it was just _him_. “Well, for what it’s worth…I love spending time with you. You don’t make me feel awkward.” Zuko flashed a genuine smile at her, which made Katara beam inside.

“Thanks, Katara,” he said. “Listen, I…I’m sorry if I made things weird earlier today.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I…I held your…hand. It was…it was stupid, I’m sorry-”

“No, no, Zuko,” Katara said quickly. She put her glass down and shuffled over to him. “Don’t be sorry about that. It was fine. If you need support, I’m here.” Zuko nodded but didn’t look fully convinced that Katara wasn’t just trying to make him feel better.

“I mean it,” she insisted. She pulled him into a hug. Nonplussed, Zuko returned the gesture. “You’re pretty damn great,” she sighed happily.

“How much of that wine have you had?” he chuckled.

“Not that much,” she promised. “Sorry, but you’re my best friend now. That means you’re going to have to get used to lots of hugs.”

“Is it negotiable?” he teased.

“Nope!” she told him confidently, and gave him a small squeeze before pulling away. “I mean, I guess if it really bothers you-”

“It’s okay,” he assured her. “I’m just not…used to it.”

“I know,” she said understandingly. To her surprise and delight, this time Zuko wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She squeezed him again. “Zuko, seriously, I can’t thank you enough for this. This is _all_ your doing. You got us all back together again.”

“Not really, it was my uncle’s idea…”

“As much as I adore Iroh, he wasn’t the one who invited us,” Katara pointed out. “That was all you, Fire Lord Zuko.” She squeezed him one last time and pulled away. Zuko looked, for lack of a better word, stunned. But also pleased. Really pleased.

“Uh, I guess that means you should…bow to my superior wisdom?” he joked uncertainly. Katara blinked at him in surprise then snorted loudly with laughter. “That doesn’t look like bowing to me,” he tutted mockingly, which just made Katara laugh harder. She wished the others were around to see this side of Zuko. Sokka in particular would be ecstatic, she thought.

“Okay, well, I’ll cut you a deal. If I ever become one of your subjects, I will bow to your superior wisdom as many times as you demand, Fire Lord Zuko.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” he chuckled.

Katara managed to convince Zuko to play a final round of cards before they headed to bed themselves. As much as Zuko liked to grumble, she could tell he was enjoying himself. So was she. She felt genuinely thrilled inside, at how easily their rapport had built up. She felt another wave of affection for the firebender sweep through her as he graciously accepted her utter defeat in their game. The feelings from earlier hadn’t been forgotten, but for now she swept them aside. It wasn’t worth the risk, she knew that. Getting involved romantically would just complicate things, and mess up everything they had now. She couldn’t afford to lose that. It would break her heart.

****

The next day was the day of the Ember Island Festival. It was a large annual event that drew visitors from all over the Fire Nation, and in recent years, the wealthier Earth Kingdom citizens. Merchants from all over the world had been invited to set up stalls at Zuko’s behest after the war. Water Tribe attendance, both mercantile and guest, was still very low, but over the years Earth Kingdom wares became a common and popular attraction for visitors. International travel had indeed opened up, but in practice it tended to be reserved for sailors and those few private citizens with the means to do it.

Everyone in the royal party had been looking forward to it immensely. For Iroh and Sokka, it was an excellent opportunity to go on a shopping spree. All in the name of supporting world harmony, of course. For Toph, it was one of those deliciously rare chances where she would be surrounded by peddlers, gaming stalls, and plenty of scammers who would only see a small blind woman and assume she was easy pickings. Toph did so relish proving them wrong. Today, she and Kiyi decided to team up – much to Ursa’s consternation. The scammers in particular would practically drool over the money they thought they could flush out of a small blind woman and her child companion. It took a lot of convincing, but Ursa eventually relented, on the firm promise that Sokka and Suki would keep an eye on them. Iroh had already goaded her into joining him at the various vendors, and Noren seemed keen to try and spend some time with his stepson. That just left Katara. Zuko had been hoping she would join him and Noren, but the temptation of shopping with Iroh was just too big to resist. They had whiled away many a free day checking out as many of Ba Sing Se’s stores, and the occasional boutique, as they could and Iroh always made a brilliant companion. She thought this would also be a good opportunity to get to know Ursa a bit better. They had shared some more coffees early in the morning together, but Ursa didn’t like to talk about herself. She was more interested in Katara’s anecdotes. Not wanting to pry, or make her feel uncomfortable, Katara always obliged.

As soon as they arrived at the festival, they all split off into their little groups. Toph and Kiyi raced for the games – it was hard to tell who was dragging who – and Sokka and Suki trailed far enough behind them so they could keep watch but not so close that Toph and Kiyi felt like they were being guarded. That would rather spoil the illusion after all. Everyone agreed to meet up again at sunset for some refreshments before watching the fireworks display that concluded the festival together.

Zuko wasn’t there in his official capacity as Fire Lord, but he resolved that _if_ he was recognised, he wouldn’t correct anyone. As much as he would prefer to remain anonymous, realistically it could only do the festival good if people knew the Fire Lord deemed it important enough to attend. There were of course some security concerns as he hadn’t brought a guard with him, but he knew there would be patrols anyway for the visitors’ safety. A small minority of the Fire Nation population objected to how multicultural the event had become and could still cause trouble, whether they knew the Fire Lord was there or not. Having his own personal guard would just draw attention to him and probably just make the situation worse. And he was a powerful firebender – it wasn’t as though he couldn’t defend himself.

He looked wistfully after Katara as she and Iroh accosted Ursa and dragged her to the first stall, which was run by a cheerful Earth Kingdom merchant selling whittled ornaments. He realised he’d been staring a bit too long when Noren cleared his throat.

“Are you okay there?” he asked Zuko kindly.

“Uh, yeah!” Zuko replied hastily. “I just…I know what my uncle is like at these things. I’m not sure mother knows what she’s gotten herself into.” Noren chuckled at that and they began walking down the main avenue of the festival. He heard Toph as they passed a hustler, saying in the most sweet and innocent voice she could muster: “Are you sure I can play? I’m blind.” He smirked as he imagined that same hustler’s face when Toph would inevitably own him at his own scam. He hoped she never changed. And that she wasn’t too much of a bad influence on his sister.

“So…” Zuko began awkwardly, turning to Noren. “Have you…been in any interesting plays…lately?”

“Well, I tend to direct these days,” Noren explained. “Your mother has had a few starring roles though. I never could get her off that stage.”

“She does love the theatre,” Zuko mused.

“But I’m sure you know all that! I want to hear about you. Tell me what life is like in the Palace. You must have some fascinating stories.”

“Not as fascinating as you’d think,” Zuko told him. “I spend a lot of my time trying not to bang my head against a wall or dismiss all my advisors.”

“They’re that bad?”

“Worse,” Zuko groaned bitterly. “It’s impossible to get anything done sometimes. It took them two months to agree to allow dancing in schools again.” Noren chuckled despite himself. Other than their love for Ursa, he and Zuko had never really found any common interests. He was so thrilled for his wife that she and her son had found each other against impossible odds, but it was disheartening that Zuko rarely had two words to say to him. Noren eventually realised it was because Zuko wasn’t really a talkative person in general, but all the same Noren wanted to have a better relationship with Zuko. He understood that Zuko had had a terrible relationship with his father, through no fault of Zuko’s, but he also observed how close he and Iroh were, despite the extremely differing personalities there.

“I was really pleased that you brought it back,” Noren offered. “The arts are important. It’s a way to express yourself without actually having to put yourself on the line.”

“I never thought about it like that,” Zuko replied in surprise. “I always liked ‘Love Amongst The Dragons’.”

“Have you ever seen it on stage?”

“Every summer when I was a child. But it was always the Ember Island Players…”

“Oh yes, your mother said you didn’t like them very much.”

“They butchered it,” Zuko told him. “Be grateful you never had to see them.”

“Well actually, we might end up doing that. Your mother mentioned there was a play she wanted to see while we were here.” Zuko grimaced. As futile as it was, he had hoped beyond hope he wouldn’t have to go and see them this summer. The last play of theirs he’d seen had been abysmal. But it was his mother, and if his mother wanted to go the theatre, that meant they were going to the theatre.

“Well, you have been warned,” said Zuko.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” chuckled Noren.

****

Something was really off with Sokka today. For the last week he’d been yakking on about all the ‘cool stuff’ there would be at the festival, but right now he wasn’t showing interest in any of it. In fact, he was being downright mopey and Suki had no clue why. His hand was limp in hers and he ignored the cries of many vendors trying to sell their wares. Sokka was usually a butterfly-moth to a flame with them. When they passed a stall selling boomerangs and Sokka didn’t even so much as give them a glance, Suki had had enough.

“Sokka, what is up with you today?” she asked him with concern.

“Nothing,” he sighed.

“I can see something’s bothering you. You’ve barely said anything since we got here.”

“Maybe I’m just not in the mood for talking.”

“Since when?” Suki scoffed.

‘Since I found out we’re going to have to break up,’ Sokka thought to himself miserably.

“Since always,” Sokka argued. “I can be quiet sometimes.”

“Sure, but you’re usually asleep.” Actually, even that wasn’t true. Suki swore that Sokka’s snoring rattled the foundations of the house sometimes.

“Well maybe today I’m in the mood for some thinking!” Sokka snapped. A flash of hurt crossed Suki’s eyes and she stopped, tugging hard on Sokka’s hand. When he looked up at her, she was glaring at him. He shouldn’t have snapped at her, he knew that. He felt awful. This wasn’t her fault.

“Want to explain to me what that was?”

“I’m sorry,” he groaned. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind, okay?”

“Okay. So why don’t you tell me about it?”

“I can’t.” So Sokka had secrets now too?

“Of course you can,” she reasoned calmly. “You can tell me anything, you know that.”

‘Not this,’ he thought bitterly. A pregnant silence fell between them. He could feel Suki’s eyes boring into him, but other than the fact he looked miserable, she had no way of knowing what was bothering him. He just wanted to scream out in frustration. Why had his dad done this? He must have _known_ the problems it would create in his relationship with Suki. And now Sokka was so wound up about it all, he was just making things worse. He needed to be alone. Or at least not near Suki, if all he was going to do was take it out on her.

“I’m sorry, Suki,” he said eventually. “I’m just not feeling it right now. I think I’m going to go back to the house.”

“What? Why-?”

“You can watch Toph and Kiyi, right?” It was a question but Sokka didn’t wait for an answer and began walking away from her in the direction they had just come. She watched him leave, torn. She had promised Ursa she would keep an eye on Kiyi, but she couldn’t just leave Sokka in this state. She threw a glance over at the pair, who were currently munching on cotton candy and admiring the wares of a rare Water Tribe stand. Toph was a woman now, she reasoned. She wouldn’t take it too far this time, especially not with Zuko’s younger sister in tow. She hated abandoning her duty, but Sokka was acting like such a child! She couldn’t just let this go. Sokka was already thinning into the crowd and if she didn’t follow him now, she would lose him.

By some extraordinary stroke of fortune, she spotted Katara out of the corner of her eye. She quickly marched up to her and spun her round.

“Hey, Suki!” Katara greeted, slightly stunned.

“Can you keep an eye on those two please?” Suki asked her desperately, gesturing to Toph and Kiyi. Katara nodded. She assumed Sokka must have come clean to Suki and that it hadn’t gone well. “Thank you.” With that, Suki left just as quickly.

“Sokka! Wait!” she called after him frustratedly, and ran into the crowd.

****

When it came to shopping, Iroh was already a force of nature. But at a festival that proudly bartered goods from around the world, he was unstoppable. Katara and Ursa both felt certain he must have bought out half the vendors by the time they finally reached the last merchant stall. Truthfully, they were both exhausted but Iroh seemed to be as full of energy as ever. The two women had got into the habit of chatting idly at each stall, Katara keeping a watchful eye on Toph and Kiyi, while Iroh invariably engaged the merchant in a long conversation. They couldn’t possibly begrudge him for it, though. Katara had been wanting to use the festival as an excuse to buy gifts for everyone, and Iroh was a dream companion when it came to matters like that. He seemed to know the layout of the festival before they even got there, and made several excellent recommendations.

For Sokka, Katara found a Fire Nation stall that sold boomerangs. She’d had no idea that they were used as a weapon outside of the Water Tribe. Technically they were intended to be used as display pieces, but she felt certain Sokka would appreciate it all the same. She knew she might have to wait to present it to him, however. She hadn’t seen either him or Suki since Suki had asked her to watch Toph and Kiyi. She hoped beyond hope they would be able to work it out. The last time she had seen Sokka heartbroken, she had felt completely helpless. Which she had been. She knew from experience that heartbreak wasn’t something you could easily get through with all the help in the world. It was something that had to come from within.

Iroh also pointed out a stall of weaponised fans, and she eagerly purchased for Suki a beautiful fan ornately decorated in burgundy and gold patterns with a razor-sharp edge. The merchant had told her that they had been inspired by the original fans of the Kyoshi Warriors, and although the artist who had designed them again intended them to be display pieces, there was no reason it couldn’t be put to practical use. For Toph, she found an ore of a rare precious metal unique to the Fire Nation. Katara wasn’t exactly certain of the limits to Toph’s metalbending and had been hesitant in buying it at first. Iroh eventually convinced her to go for it. If anything, Toph would at least relish the challenge of trying to bend it, and if she succeeded, it could open even more doors for her. For Iroh, Katara had had to be a bit sneakier. She wanted all of the gifts to be a surprise. She had learned in Ba Sing Se how much Iroh loved buying these curios for himself, but it felt wrong to exclude him. Ursa had actually helped her in that regard, by keeping Iroh occupied while Katara wandered over to a Water Tribe stall that sold, amongst other things, traditional Water Tribe teapots. There was no better option for him. Between them, Katara and Ursa also managed to ensure that Iroh didn’t spot the stall himself, which had been surprisingly easy as it turned out.

With Ursa’s guidance, she also found a firebending scroll for Kiyi with some basic forms. Katara knew from experience how much such a scroll had helped her when she had been surrounded by non-benders. The forms were more artistic than the usual combat forms and both she and Ursa agreed it was a safe way for Kiyi to hone her skills without having to be constantly observed by a master. Ursa told her that both Zuko and Azula had been thrust into combat firebending from a very young age at Ozai’s behest. Azula had been a prodigy and picked it up naturally, but Zuko had struggled a lot more, eventually being surpassed by Azula. Katara mused silently that it had been because of their polar opposite personalities. Azula had always enjoyed the combat and the competition and being the best of the best; Zuko had only been trying to please his distant father. She resolved never to mention this to him unless he brought it up, but she couldn’t help but feel a pang of affection for him. They ended up buying a scroll for Noren as well, which depicted a mural of ‘Love Amongst the Dragons’, which had been his first leading role in their small local theatre in Hira’a.

With Iroh’s help, she found a book for Ursa that contained the script for her own favourite piece of theatre, which wasn’t – to Katara’s surprise – ‘Love Amongst the Dragons.’ It told the tale of the Blue Spirit, which had always resonated strongly with Ursa, but because of its Water Tribe connotations hadn’t been performed since Sozin had declared war against all the other nations over a century ago. Katara certainly couldn’t take credit for the idea and she and Iroh promised they would give it to Ursa together.

Katara was at a complete loss as to what to get for Zuko, though. She understood him incredibly well, and that’s how she also knew he didn’t really place much value in the material, in spite of his royal upbringing. She wanted it to be meaningful, as all the others had. But what was meaningful to Zuko was something he had been starved of for most of his life – trust and, as much as it saddened Katara, affection. He had never said it in so many words, but she knew his past. He had told her most of it himself. Katara would happily give him all the affection he wanted. She really cared about Zuko, and only wanted for him to be happy. And truthfully, she enjoyed getting affection from him too. He _was_ a very good hugger.

It almost frightened her, how intense her feelings were for him, but it also filled up her entire body with a comfortable, soothing warmth, as if she had just stepped into a bath. Even just thinking about him brought on a wide smile that she couldn’t control. She felt…happy. Just happy.

****

Kiyi was practically bouncing as she skipped along beside Toph. By now they had played most of the games at the festival and had resorted to sampling the various sweet treats that were on offer. Kiyi had been stunned when Toph admitted she had never eaten chocolate. It hadn’t really been available in the Earth Kingdom when she’d been growing up.

So Kiyi made it her personal mission to find all the chocolate vendors at the festival to show Toph what she had been missing out on. Some of it was much too sweet for Toph’s taste, but Kiyi seemed to be enjoying this new game a lot, and Toph was happy to play along. It was the least she could do for her partner-in-crime after Toph’s own games had been such a rousing success. Kiyi had played the role of caring little sister/guide perfectly and the scammers in particular had lapped it up. It was how they’d ended up with the money to splurge on sweets, after all. If Kiyi decided she wanted to spend her share on enlightening Toph about Fire Nation desserts, who was Toph to argue?

“So what do you think?!” Kiyi asked her excitedly as she pressed another square into Toph’s hands. Toph took a bite. This particular chocolate had the exact opposite problem. It tasted so bitter in comparison to the others, Toph wasn’t even sure it could be counted as chocolate.

“I think it’s, uh, an acquired taste,” Toph said diplomatically. Kiyi laughed. She knew what that meant. She had heard her brother say it a few times.

“You sound just like Zu-Zu,” Kiyi commented.

“I think you’ll find the Grumble Lord sounds just like me!” Toph grinned at her. Kiyi giggled happily and linked her arm through Toph’s.

“Hey I have a question for you.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think you’d still know everyone? Without the war?” Toph paused to think. Truthfully, no she probably wouldn’t. She probably would have ended up wasting away at the Bei Fong estate, at least for a few more years until she was old enough to strike out on her own. _Maybe_ she would have encountered Zuko, what with their families’ statuses. But it was impossible to say for certain.

“I hope so,” Toph replied honestly. “They’re…pretty great.”

“Who’s your favourite?” Kiyi piped up.

“Who’s _your_ favourite?” Toph countered.

“I asked you first!” Kiyi protested.

“I’m older,” Toph pointed out. Kiyi pouted for a moment, but decided to answer anyway.

“Well I probably shouldn’t say this because Zu-Zu is my brother, but right now you’re my favourite, Melon Lord!” Toph could only smile in response. “And Katara already told me I’m _her_ favourite…but I think it was just something she said. She _really_ seems to like Zu-Zu.” Toph fought hard to contain a smirk at that.

Toph was well aware just how much Sugar Queen liked Grumble Lord, and he her. Their heartbeats gave them away in an instant. It was the same rhythm that Aang had used to give out when he was with Katara, except it was both of them this time. Toph couldn’t say for certain what was going on, but she had a sneaking suspicion. She was happy for them. She had been just as surprised as everyone else by Twinkletoes’ actions, but she couldn’t honestly say that Sugar Queen and Grumble Lord didn’t somehow make sense together. It was obvious to everyone how close they had become, and how much they put each other at ease. If and when Twinkletoes found out, he would just have to deal with it. It was his own stupid fault after all.

Toph and Kiyi decided to join Iroh’s group after Toph had eaten all the chocolate she could stomach. She was beginning to feel a bit queasy and was grateful for the respite now that Kiyi was distracted. Indeed, Kiyi took the sugar rush in her stride and bounded to the front with Iroh and Ursa, chattering excitedly about anything and nothing.

“You okay there, Toph?” Katara asked.

“Too much chocolate,” Toph groaned.

****

Walking around with Noren hadn’t been as awkward as Zuko had feared, not after they had broken the ice. Noren spent a lot of time talking about the theatre, drawing some quite amusing comparisons between directing a difficult cast and Zuko wrangling his councillors. Noren had also requested Zuko’s input into a gift for Ursa, and seemed to spend a long time deliberating until Zuko agreed that a necklace embedded with rubies and emeralds would suit her perfectly. Zuko knew Noren asking for his advice was a token gesture, Noren was her husband after all, but he appreciated it all the same. A large part of Zuko regretted he hadn’t been able to spend the festival with Katara. There was still the fireworks display, he supposed.

But Noren was a perfectly amiable companion, and as well as patiently listening to Zuko complain about his councillors, he was also able to offer some advice as to how to deal with them. Dealing with unruly actors and stubborn advisors really weren’t so different.

He had been recognised a few times, but it was rarely more than uncertain stares and the occasional gasps of awe that they were in the presence of the Fire Lord. A couple of particularly insistent citizens had decided now would be a fantastic time to petition him for something, but he had had to gently inform them that he wasn’t here on business, but made a promise to look into it once he was back at the Palace. Zuko intended to keep that promise. What he didn’t tell them was that their requests would likely be added to the heavy backlog of similar petitions. He honestly couldn’t predict just _when_ he would get around to ‘looking into it’. He needed new councillors. He said this to himself every day, but he also knew that any replacements would likely be just as bad. What he really needed was someone who could deal with them better than he could. Someone who wouldn’t be afraid to tell them they were wasting time and to just _agree_ on something for a change. He was so desperate to avoid being like his father…

Zuko may not have been able to spend the festival with Katara, but he had found something for her. He had been extremely hesitant in buying it at first. It was a silver hairpin set with a blue topaz stone the colour of the ocean, intended to adorn the traditional female hair buns. He knew she’d love it, with it being close to Water Tribe blue, and it would suit her perfectly. But he didn’t want her to think he was getting it for her with the expectation that she would reward him with…well, her. He just wanted her to have it and had eventually convinced himself it wasn’t a big deal. He was buying a gift for his friend, that was all. It would be wrong to stop treating Katara as his best friend just because he had feelings for her.

He shook his head. His mind was exhausting sometimes. He just wanted to enjoy himself. And seeing what he hoped would be Katara’s smile when he gave it to her was definitely something he would enjoy.

He and Noren decided to head to the meeting spot early, as they felt they had experienced all they needed to of the festival. Noren suggested they share a pot or two of tea before the rest of the group got back. Zuko happily agreed. He was certain they wouldn’t see Iroh, Ursa or Katara for some time still, knowing what Iroh was like.

****

Suki eventually caught up to Sokka, and grabbed his arm. “Sokka!” she panted, fuming by now. He half-turned his body towards her, but kept his face low. “What _was_ that back there?! Why did you-?” She gasped as Sokka looked at her. His eyes were wet with tears and his face was flooded with guilt. All of her anger dissipated as quickly as it had arisen. She pulled him in close. “Sokka, what’s wrong?” she asked him desperately. He sighed into her shoulder.

“Not here,” Sokka mumbled, and led her by the hand out of the main thoroughfare. They found a quiet spot just behind one of the stalls, where only the occasional passer-by might disturb them. They sat on the grass together and leaned against the back of the stand, still clutching each other. Sokka took a few moments to compose himself and plan what to say. Suki sat in silence, giving him the time he needed. She had to admit, this was starting to scare her. She didn’t think she’d ever seen Sokka like this. This was exactly the reason she had delayed telling him about her planned move to the Fire Nation. She couldn’t stand to see her loveable, goofy, intelligent partner like this. It broke her heart.

“I have something to tell you,” Sokka finally began, letting out a deep breath. Suki nodded and waited patiently for him to continue. She cast aside her own feelings for the time being, intent on getting to the bottom of this. “I…my father…that is…” he stuttered before trailing off. She gave his hand a comforting squeeze.

“Sokka, whatever it is, I’m sure we can work through it,” she tried to reassure him. She ignored the small voice in the back of her mind telling her this was an outright lie. They may be able to work through Sokka’s news, but hers wouldn’t be simple.

Sokka took another deep breath. “My father has appointed me to be the ambassador for the Southern Water Tribe,” he said fluidly, suddenly sounding a lot more confident and sure than he felt inside. “I don’t know how long for, but it means I would have to live in the Fire Nation. We won’t get to see each other and…and I love you so much. I don’t want to break up with you but I don’t know what else we can do,” he finished sadly, hanging his head again.

Suki gasped. She was completely lost for words. She almost couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Sokka had to move to the Fire Nation?

So she didn’t need to worry anymore? She had spent the last few days fretting over something that wasn’t even going to be an issue now? The relief that swept through her was so immense she struggled to suppress nervous laughter. She had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Sokka’s confused expression confirmed she wasn’t. This was unbelievable! Incredible! Destiny…like she had told Zuko. Granted, Sokka had to have only just found out judging by his behaviour today and not the time leading up to it so her not telling him before turned out to have been the right call after all. She smiled despite herself, and before she knew it her whole body was shaking with that same nervous laughter. Sokka, for his part, felt incredibly hurt by her response.

“What’s so funny?” he asked her, crestfallen. His voice cracking. Suki turned to look at him.

“I am so sorry!” she said genuinely. “It’s not funny, it’s really not. It’s just, well…I have something to tell you too.” And so she told him, all about the Kyoshi Warriors having to withdraw, and her plan to stay and train up new Fire Nation recruits with Ty Lee. When she finished, Sokka was dumbounded.

“Wait, so…we’re _both_ moving to the Fire Nation?”

“Yep!” she exclaimed happily. “I’ll be based in the capital for training, which I’m guessing is where the embassy will be?” Sokka nodded eagerly. Suki’s expression softened and she felt a twinge of guilt. “I should have told you sooner,” she admitted. “I was a coward. But actually-”

“It’s worked out better this way,” Sokka finished, agreeing with her. He wiped the remnants of his tears away and his face broke out into a big grin. “Suki, I can’t believe this! This is amazing!”

“I know!” she squealed. They fell into a loving embrace and held each other tightly. They pulled away and looked deeply into their beloved’s eyes. Suki’s were filled with excitement; Sokka’s were filled with an almost uncharacteristic calm. “I love you, Sokka,” she told him tenderly, pulling him in for a kiss.

“I love you, too, Suki.”

****

“Zu-Zu!” Kiyi yelped excitedly as she spotted her brother and father. They were sitting around a barrel that acted as a makeshift table. They broke their conversation off as Kiyi launched herself at Zuko and landed on his lap, nearly knocking him off his stool. He pulled her in for a hug.

“Did you have a good day?” he asked her.

“The best!” Kiyi exclaimed. “Melon Lord won _all_ the games!”

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” Toph said half-heartedly, resisting the urge to clutch her stomach. She still felt sick with all of the chocolate and cotton candy and other sweets she had had. Katara had given her plenty of water, which had helped some, but now that they had stopped walking finally, Toph was ready to collapse on the ground. Which she did. She clung to the grass like it was life-preserver and groaned.

Zuko looked questioningly at his sister. “What did you do to her?”

“She told me she never had chocolate!” Kiyi protested.

“So you ate all the chocolate at the festival, huh?” he grinned at her. Toph stuck a thumb up from the ground in confirmation. She forced herself to sit up and slumped against the barrel. “Do you need a drink, Toph?” he asked her.

“I think that would help,” she agreed. “A cold beer, please.” Zuko shook his head, smiling.

“I’ll get them,” Katara volunteered, and was joined by Iroh.

“I hear they have a lovely selection of tea,” he winked knowingly at her as they headed to the stall.

“I don’t think that’s what the Melon Lord had in mind,” Katara grinned. “Hey, thanks so much for your help earlier.”

“Don’t mention it,” Iroh chuckled, waving a hand. With both Iroh and Ursa’s help, Katara had also finally found something for Zuko. It wasn’t something she would have thought of herself, and she was more than happy to trust their judgement.

As they walked off, Zuko realised that two of their party were missing. He frowned. Ursa had asked them to keep an eye on his sister. Where could they have got to?

“Where are Suki and Sokka?” he asked.

“They left,” Kiyi replied matter-of-factly.

“It sounded like they were having a bad fight,” Toph explained. “It’s okay though. Sugar Queen was never far away. We’ve mostly just been eating candy.”

“And it was great!” Kiyi chimed in, still abuzz with energy.

“I’m actually kind of impressed, Kiyi,” Zuko told her. “I’ve never seen anyone win a battle against the Melon Lord before.” Kiyi giggled in delight, and Toph scowled at Zuko.

“Hey, I will have you know, I am a grown woman, I am perfectly capable of making my own…really bad decisions,” Toph groaned, causing everyone to laugh again. Toph sighed. “You’re a very worthy nemesis, Candy Cane. I’d bow to you but I can’t move.”

“Candy Cane?” Ursa asked curiously.

“That’s my new nickname!” Kiyi told her happily. “I like it. What do you think, Zu-Zu?”

“I think it’s better than Grumble Lord,” he muttered in response, causing Toph and Kiyi to crack up. “Is there any chance the Melon Lord would lower herself to give me a new one?” Toph smirked at Kiyi. She had had a feeling this might come up, and had coached Kiyi in exactly what to say.

“Sorry, Zu-Zu,” Kiyi replied. Toph cleared her throat and shook her head at Kiyi. “I mean…the fact that you’re asking means no, Grumble Lord.” Zuko shook his head as they laughed again. This one was here to stick, it seemed. At least he was still a Lord, he supposed. It was better than Twinkletoes at any rate.

Katara and Iroh came back with their drinks. Katara brought Toph’s beer as well as juice for Kiyi, and there was a round of tea as well as more beer and firewine for everyone else. Katara had tried the beer at the stall, and the grimace on her face at the taste of it had caused a lot of amusement for both Iroh and the merchant. She hadn’t learnt her lesson from those nights out with Jin in Ba Sing Se, it seemed. Katara decided she would stick with tea and firewine. Kiyi stayed perched on Zuko’s lap as she thirstily drank the juice put before her.

“Thanks for watching her,” Zuko said to Katara as she came up beside them.

“It’s no problem,” she replied. “I think your sister was actually more responsible than Sokka. And don’t tell Iroh I said this, but I needed a break!” Zuko chuckled appreciatively.

“He does get a little carried away,” he mused.

“You’re not kidding. I’m honestly not sure how we’re going to get it all back to Ba Sing Se.” Zuko’s heart sank as she said this. He wasn’t too sure why. What had he expected? Was it really so surprising?

“Well they’re…pretty big airships,” he said weakly.

“Yep…they are,” Katara agreed suggestively, but she noticed the change in Zuko’s demeanour. She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed him comfortingly. “There might not even be room for anyone else.” Zuko smiled.

“You could always just surf behind them?” he suggested jokingly.

“Or hang off the side like flying,” Kiyi chipped in.

“Or I could glue-bend myself to the side…” Katara mused, pretending to be deep in thought.

“That’s just silly,” Kiyi giggled.

“ _That’s_ the silly one?” Katara chuckled at her in disbelief. Kiyi nodded insistently.

“Ask the Melon Lord,” Kiyi said. “But I think she’ll listen to me.”

“She has a nickname now,” Zuko muttered by way of an explanation. Katara understood and smiled. Toph giving you a nickname meant you were officially part of the group. As unflattering as said nickname may be, it was Toph’s way of showing that she liked you, which was why Zuko knew he was in no position to argue against his.

“That’s right! I’m Candy Cane, because of all the candy we had!”

“Please don’t talk about candy…” Toph groaned from below them, causing them all to crack up.

****

Suki and Sokka were practically giddy when they finally rolled up to the group. After their talk, they had gone back around the festival like they should have done in the first place. Sokka was back to his usual energetic self, and had dragged Suki back to the boomerang stall as well as stopping off to admire the many, many other trinkets that caught his eye. He hadn’t been able to resist buying a new magnifying glass that came with a case of detachable lenses for different jobs, and excitedly told Suki all about how much better his detective skills were going to be. He suggested offering to work for Zuko part-time as an investigator, alongside his duties as an ambassador. Suki giggled loudly, and made Sokka promise she could be there when he told Zuko this news.

Katara, for her part, was absolutely thrilled to see them back to making googly-eyes at each other and laughing at private jokes that no-one outside of Sokka and Suki’s unique appreciation for his humour would ever understand.

“We have some really big news!” Sokka announced to the group as they reached the table. He was absolutely beaming, and Katara felt her heart quicken. Had he done it? Had he proposed?! She squeezed Zuko’s shoulder excitedly, and tried to compose herself as Suki caught her eye. Katara, in a failed attempt to seem super casual, leaned on Zuko, placing her other hand on her hip. Zuko grunted and looked up at her in confusion, then shrugged and patted her hand. Suki raised her eyebrows but grinned at the pair of them. Those two had a strange friendship, she mused.

Everyone turned expectantly to Sokka. He dug into his satchel (remarkably, not a new one he had just purchased on a whim) and proudly whipped out his new magnifying glass. It gleamed in the sun as a confused silence fell over the group. Suki shook her head at him. “I got a new magnifying glass! Look, it has all these different lenses!” Sokka explained, bringing out the case as well. “So I can look at different things!”

“But…can’t you do that with _all_ magnifying glasses?” Zuko asked warily. Katara snorted beside him.

“Not like this!” Sokka insisted. “Look, this is for bigger things, this is for the really small things, and-”

“Don’t take any notice of my nephew, Sokka,” Iroh reassured him. “I will never forget the day he said that all tea is hot leaf juice.” He scowled at Zuko and shook his head sadly, ignoring the sniggers from the rest of the group. “My own family…but I think this is wonderful. Nothing will get past you.” Sokka nodded eagerly at Iroh’s encouragement.

“Uh, yeah,” Katara agreed uncertainly. “You’ll be the best detective in…the house.” Now it was Zuko’s turn to snort with laughter.

“Actually, I was thinking a little bigger than that,” Sokka retorted mysteriously. He beckoned for Suki to join him. “Suki and I, we’re…” He got lost in her eyes as she gazed lovingly up at him. “You want to tell them, sweetie?” She nodded and looked out to the group.

“We’re moving to the Fire Nation together!” Everyone exclaimed in surprise, and immediately began congratulating them. Katara gasped with joy and ran over to them and pulled them both into a big hug.

“I can’t believe this!” she gushed. “This is so great! How did this happen?”

“Well, as you know, Sokka is going to be the ambassador for the Southern Water Tribe,” Suki explained. “And me, well, I’m going to stay and train up some new warriors for the Royal Palace. The Kyoshi Warriors can’t stay here, the Earth Kingdom needs us.”

“Suki, that’s amazing!” Katara said and pulled her into another hug.

Neither Sokka nor Suki made any mention of an impending wedding, so Katara had to assume he hadn’t proposed. Yet. But this was perfect for them! It would only be a matter of time, she knew.

The fireworks were going to start soon, and the group filed over to the viewing area to try and find a patch of spare earth where they could lay their blankets to watch the display. The beer (and water Katara had kept forcing down her throat) had been just the remedy Toph needed, and she sailed up to the front with Kiyi to accost Iroh.

Once again, Katara and Zuko found themselves at the back of the group. As they began walking, Katara linked her arm through his and they chatted about what they had got up to at the festival. Katara warned him that they would probably have needed a wagon to carry back everything she and Iroh had bought. Luckily, the vendors had agreed to deliver most of it. Iroh had given them the address of his own property on the island. Zuko chuckled knowingly.

“So I guess we have to sit behind everyone else,” Katara muttered to no-one in particular as they reached the viewing area. They had hung back for so long that there was no room with the rest of the group, and the only patch they could find was a few rows behind them. Iroh tossed them a blanket as they arrived, and winked at them. It was disconcerting.

Zuko said nothing as they sat down. As Katara sat down beside him, their shoulders touching, he became acutely aware of the mere inches of space between them. A part of him desperately wanted to wrap his arms around her and pull her close to him. Katara had happily done that to him a couple of nights ago…but she had been drunk. It didn’t seem appropriate, and he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. He also stoically ignored the part that longed to take his affections further, and reach out and kiss her. An overwhelming jolt of energy passed through his stomach at the mere thought of her lips pressed against his, her body pressed against his.

He had often thought of her, and wondered how she was doing. He had admired her from afar for years. He hadn’t always harboured romantic feelings for her, but he had been in awe of her at times. When he had first encountered her, they were enemies but he’d had to begrudgingly admit she made a decent and honourable opponent. When he’d changed to their side, he had been in love with Mai. He had an awful way of showing it, at first. It had broken his heart to leave her behind, both on the day of Black Sun and at the Boiling Rock. But he’d had no choice. The first time had been to protect her. He knew he was betraying his nation’s twisted ideals and didn’t want her to suffer any of the fallout that may have caused. And that was assuming he would have been able to convince her to let him go in the first place. At the Boiling Rock, he had done it to protect his friends. He hoped that Mai had understood. He _knew_ she’d understood when she came to their aid, even standing up against Azula.

But that was then. He wasn’t in love with Mai now. And as Zuko and Katara had grown closer, her hold over him had only grown stronger. It sometimes felt like he couldn’t stop thinking about her. She lit up the whole room when she walked in though she didn’t seem to realise. Or perhaps it was just him. He felt as comfortable around her as he did with Suki, but it was…different. He resolved to always be there for her, no matter what. Her calling him her best friend had only sealed it.

She turned around and smiled at him, and he was completely disarmed as he snapped out of his thoughts. “You okay?”

“Yep,” he lied quickly. Katara shook her head, still smiling. And then she reached down and took his hand in hers, and gave him a comforting squeeze. This time, it was Zuko who interlaced their fingers, and much to his relief, Katara made no effort to disentangle them. As the fireworks began, she turned away to watch, still gripping his hand.

Zuko knew he was falling for Katara. Hard. He couldn’t stop himself even if he wanted to. When she had mentioned going back to Ba Sing Se, it had hurt a lot more than he had expected it to. Reason told him that was foolish, however. Katara had to do _something_ afterwards, after all. They couldn’t all stay on Ember Island forever.

It deeply saddened him that as much as he liked Katara and wanted to be with her, there was always the spectre hovering over him telling him it couldn’t realistically work. They would be too far apart. It had worked for Suki and Sokka, but Kyoshi Island was a lot closer to the South Pole than the Fire Nation was, or to Ba Sing Se. And, this was Katara, the incredible master waterbender. Why should she uproot her life for _him_? She would probably only end up frustrated and miserable with him, like Mai. And that was all assuming Katara was even interested in him like that. And why would she be?

She should do whatever she wanted and go wherever she wanted…even if that meant Zuko had to be left behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By my calculations, we're almost at the halfway point! I will say now that after the next chapter, I'm going to take a "mid-season break", if you will, from Embers to focus on my other fic and also to catch myself up with this one. I have no intention of abandoning Embers, I just need some time to grow my pool of chapters for it.
> 
> Thanks again to everyone who commented!


	8. The Proposal, Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka and Zuko seek Iroh's advice on sensitive matters, while Katara wrestles with her feelings for her best friend.

It was a thick and humid day, and being outside did nothing to alleviate the feeling that Katara was being positively cloaked in the dripping heat. Sunbeams occasionally broke through the heavy canopy above, illuminating particles of dust and other detritus that danced infinitely within the beacons of light that hit the forest floor. There wasn’t even a gentle breeze to be spoken for, but Katara reasoned that was probably as much to do with the trees she was surrounded by as the weather itself. It wasn’t a particularly enjoyable walk, but it wouldn’t have been even if Katara hadn’t felt like she was being suffocated by the humidity. Once more, it wasn’t the walk that Katara sought, but the time to think. This time, in solitude.

Try as she might, she couldn’t stop thinking about her best friend. He had been on her mind a lot recently. She knew she had some very non-platonic feelings for Zuko and she found him to be an incredibly attractive man. Besides that, he was her best friend for a reason, even if that had all happened very quickly. They just…connected, and understood each other.

She had never expected this. She certainly didn’t expect that Zuko could look at her in the same light, at least not in that sense. She knew his friendship was sincere and that he cared about her, which was itself a wonderful feeling. But there had been times where she found herself wanting more…to kiss him, explore him, and feel his hands on her body…the thought of him pressed up against her always sent a fleeting jolt through her stomach, and she lamented that the sensation didn’t last longer. She had come close to giving in a few days ago, on the cliffs. If Sokka hadn’t interrupted them, only the spirits knew what might have happened.

Since that day, Zuko had taken up residence in her mind as an eager player, willing to act out any and all scenarios she could imagine. At first she had welcomed them. They were just harmless fantasies, she had reasoned. In some of them, Zuko did nothing more than tenderly wrap his arms around her from behind and hold her tightly and whisper sweet nothings in her ear. In others (lots of others, Katara had to admit) those embraces led to more. He would start by kissing her gently on the cheek, moving down to her jaw, and then place torturously sensuous kisses on her neck, her shoulder, his very touch igniting a primal, lustful fire within her. He would then spin her around to face him. He would look at her with such longing, such desire in his eyes, before finally, their lips met. And it was always, unfailingly, Zuko.

At first, those thoughts had soothed her, and felt oddly comforting. Katara would never admit this, but there had been a significant number of nights alone in bed when she had allowed such thoughts to ‘comfort’ her before she was released from the grips of her imagination, and settled into a contented sleep.

Sometimes it amazed her that she was having all of these fantasies about _Zuko_ , given their shared history. How had this even happened? There was a part of her that she felt would always hold some disbelief at that fact, but as she had spent more and more time in his company over the past weeks, a larger, still-growing part of her just saw the firebender who made her heart race. The firebender whose very touch had begun to spark such intense, almost addictive, jolts of energy in her body. Who made her feel cared for and cherished in their friendship. And after all of that, the firebender who understood her, both the good side and the darker. And who Katara understood equally.

The fantasies didn’t soothe her anymore. Not as much. Now, whenever she tried to summon the same pleasant jolt in her stomach at the thought of Zuko’s hands and lips on her body, it was accompanied by a pang that crudely reminded her it wasn’t real…and probably never would be.

Even if she allowed herself to seriously consider that Zuko held the same feelings for her, she plagued herself with doubt. Would they just be two friends feeding each other what they craved in the height of summer, only for it to all return to normal once the bliss of vacation faded away?

Would they – _could_ they, even – be more than that? Zuko being Fire Nation wasn’t an issue for Katara, just as she knew her being Water Tribe wasn’t an issue personally for Zuko. He had made that clear. But of course, Zuko wasn’t _just_ Fire Nation. He was the Fire Lord…

If they did become more, would it end disastrously, like it had with Aang? She was better off without that relationship, she knew that now, but that didn’t meant she didn’t sometimes miss the close and easy friendship she had had with the airbender. She couldn’t imagine losing another friend like that. That was what kept her silent. Zuko was at least still her best friend as things stood.

But him being the Fire Lord, that was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, his political status meant he had certain duties and responsibilities and traditions to uphold, and she doubted if she would fit into any of them, but it was that very same status that also meant he had more freedom than most to defy tradition. He was no longer a Crown Prince forced to obey – he could make his own traditions if he so chose.

Katara hadn’t felt such inner turmoil since Aang had tried to force the very same conversation she was now avidly avoiding with Zuko on her four years ago. She had been just as confused then as she was now. Not about her feelings – she knew how she felt about Zuko. But thinking about Aang brought on what had become an all-too familiar feeling of guilt. It felt like a heavy weight on her chest, until she felt completely paralysed by the uncertainty. How could she feel so strongly about Zuko when she and Aang had only been broken up for a few months? What did it say about her, that she could transfer her affections so easily?

A horrible thought swept uninvited into her head – did it even matter that it was Zuko? Was he just a replacement to fill the void Aang had left behind? Because if that was the case, she _had_ to stop this! Zuko deserved more than that. He deserved so much better…

‘No,’ she told herself. ‘This is ridiculous. I have feelings for Zuko _because_ he’s Zuko.’ He was not just the first eligible man who’d come along. Strictly speaking, that had been Larnak back in Ba Sing Se. If ever Katara had had a rebound, as Sokka would call it, Larnak was it. She didn’t regret their encounter, not anymore. It was just something that had happened and was now no more than a memory that barely registered.

Katara sometimes wondered if she should just come clean. Tell Zuko how she felt, but also make it _extremely clear_ that it was fine if Zuko didn’t reciprocate. He was her best friend and that was what mattered. As much as it hurt to think of Zuko falling in love with another woman, she knew she would get over it. She knew she could still be there for him, they could still share laughter, stories, adventures…she would find her own new beau eventually, and the time Katara had naively confessed her feelings at nineteen would just be a fond and silly memory they could look back on because they were both strong people dedicated to each other. To their _friendship_ with each other…

Katara sighed. Who was she kidding?

****

“I must say, Sokka, I’m certainly intrigued,” Iroh grinned at the Water Tribesman awkwardly sat cross-legged in front of him. Sokka had come across Iroh just a few moments ago and said that he needed the older man’s advice on something important. Iroh graciously invited Sokka to join him on his balcony for privacy. “Tea?” he offered.

“Uh, no thank you-” Sokka replied, flustered, but he quickly realised his mistake.

“Nonsense! There is always time for tea,” Iroh rebuffed, and poured them both a cup. Sokka took it and Iroh didn’t miss the slight tremor in his hands but didn’t say anything. He had no idea what Sokka was so nervous about, or how he fit into it, but he resolved he would do his best to help. They drank in silence for a few moments. Sokka didn’t understand himself why he was so anxious with Iroh. But then again, ever since he had made his decision this morning, he had been a nervous wreck. He just wanted it all to go perfectly.

“So, what’s on your mind?” Iroh prompted him gently. Sokka didn’t respond immediately, and instead thirstily finished the rest of his tea in one. Iroh chuckled at him and refilled his cup.

“I, um, I wanted to ask your advice on something,” Sokka told him.

“I know,” Iroh smiled at him.

“Right! I already said that…” Sokka inhaled deeply and let it all out in an audible sigh. “Well, I’ve…and this needs to stay between us! Katara is the only other person who knows.” Iroh simply nodded.

“You can trust me to be discrete,” he assured Sokka. “Unless, that is, you’re about to tell me an embarrassing story about my nephew. I can’t promise I’ll be able to keep that in.” Sokka snorted with laughter. Learning about Zuko’s Tsungi horn abilities, and his short stint as a circus juggler, was something Sokka wasn’t going to let his friend forget in a hurry. Especially now they were _both_ going to be living in the Fire Nation. He wondered with amusement just how long it would take for Zuko to expel him as ambassador…

“I…want to ask Suki to marry me,” Sokka admitted. Iroh’s eyes widened and his face broke out into a wide, genuinely joyful beam.

“Sokka, that’s wonderful!” he congratulated him, patting him on the shoulder. “Do you need to find a betrothal necklace? I think it will be difficult to find one in the Fire Nation, but I’ve always loved a challenge.”

“No, no, I’ve got that covered,” Sokka replied, feeling a rush of gratitude towards Iroh. “I’ve had it for months. But I wanted to wait for the right time.”

“And that time is now?” Iroh asked. Sokka nodded certainly. Iroh smiled gently at him. “I completely understand. So how can I help?”

“Well, I want it to be special,” Sokka told him. “I want it to be the most romantic evening of her life.”

“I’m sure Suki will think however you do it is special. It is not the asking, but the asker, that is important.”

“That doesn’t mean I can’t try though, right?” Sokka smiled. He felt so much calmer already. He didn’t know what gift or ability Iroh possessed, but he always managed to make anyone in his company feel at ease.

“You’re absolutely right,” Iroh agreed.

“I already have an idea of what I want to do,” Sokka continued. “What I need some advice on is…well, where.” Iroh nodded thoughtfully.

“If you feel comfortable sharing your plan with me, that would help me make a recommendation.”

“Of course!” Sokka said. “It…sounds kinda lame, but I kinda want to keep it simple. I want to take her out somewhere, just us, maybe a picnic dinner, and after, I was going to…well, you know.”

“That sounds beautiful,” Iroh told him. Sokka broke out into a proud little smile. “I’m certain Suki will love it.”

“Me too,” Sokka agreed happily.

“And I know just the spot.” Sokka leaned in to listen eagerly as Iroh told him. Sokka had been right to come to Iroh. The suggestion the older man made was everything Sokka could dream of whenever he had pictured that moment. Sokka wasn’t sure how he could describe how he felt. Part of him realised that this was turning out to be one of the most anxiety-inducing moments in his life, but another part of him was enveloped by unfettered excitement. Tonight, he was going to show Suki what she meant to him, get down on both knees before her, and present her with the betrothal necklace Sokka had painstakingly carved himself. He wanted to marry her, to be her husband, more than anything.

‘This is it,’ he realised. He couldn’t go back now. He was going to do it. And he hoped, wished, prayed, that she would say yes.

Feeling much better, Sokka thanked Iroh and gave him a quick hug, promising to let Iroh know how it went. Of course, both of them suspected that if Sokka got the answer he wanted, they would probably make a big group announcement, similar to when they declared they were moving to the Fire Nation.

Just as Sokka was about to leave, he remembered something. He turned back to Iroh.

“Iroh,” he began. “I never thanked you. For taking my sister in.” Iroh’s raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You really didn’t have to, but…she seems a lot happier. If your help had anything to do with that, thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”

“No thanks necessary,” Iroh assured him. “I was glad to help out a friend in need.”

“Well if there’s ever anything I can do to repay the favour…I’m gonna be kind of a big shot in the Fire Nation now,” Sokka boasted jokingly. Iroh chuckled at him.

“It’s really not necessary,” Iroh replied. “But I appreciate it all the same. I’ll keep it in mind.” Sokka nodded in acceptance and left. Iroh suddenly shook himself. He should have asked Sokka to make sure Zuko continued to observe Tea Appreciation Day! The annual national holiday that Iroh had founded in Zuko’s absence, much to the latter's displeasure upon returning to his duties, had caused quite a stir, and it would be a shame to see it fall by the wayside. He chuckled to himself, shaking his head, and poured out another cup.

As for Sokka, he now knew he had today to make sure everything was perfect. He had already spoken to the chef about acquiring some of Suki’s favourite food for the picnic. It was unlikely he had been able to get any traditional Kyoshi Island fare, but Suki had a particular hankering for certain Fire Nation dishes, which Sokka was sure shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

Sokka was feeling so lost in anticipation that he didn’t spot Zuko in the hallway, who was himself a bundle of nerves. The feelings he had for Katara had completely taken over… His every waking thought seemed to be consumed by her. When she wasn’t with him, he stupidly found he missed her, even though he _knew_ he would see her in the evening.

He knew what was happening. There was nothing else to say. Zuko had fallen completely and hopelessly in love with Katara

He hadn’t felt like this for a very long time. It was something he would need his uncle’s advice on. At the very least, tea with Iroh should soothe his battered nerves somewhat. The two men collided sharply, neither having noticed the other.

“Sorry,” Zuko muttered. “Did you need to talk to my uncle, too?”

“Nope, he’s all yours, buddy,” Sokka reassured him, patting him on the back. He frowned as he inspected his friend. “Are you okay? You look really pale.”

“I’m always pale,” Zuko frowned back.

“No, there’s something different,” Sokka continued, and began circling Zuko. Zuko folded his arms across his chest and stood stoically as Sokka began prodding at him.

“What are you doing?” Zuko asked, perplexed. Ordinarily, he would have told Sokka to knock it off by now. But he was also acutely aware that this was Katara’s brother. If things did miraculously work out between Zuko and Katara, it would be best to keep Sokka on side. Of course, if Katara _was_ here she would be the first person to tell Sokka to stop harassing Zuko, he thought. “How long are you going to keep doing this?” he sighed, running out of patience. “I need to talk to my uncle.”

“I’ve got it!” Sokka exclaimed triumphantly. “I am being really annoying, and you’re not reacting. What’s going on?”

Zuko thought quickly. “I’m practicing for when you’re going to be ambassador,” he deadpanned.

Sokka burst out laughing. “Fair enough,” he smiled, and to Zuko’s relief, stopped prying (and prodding) and went on his way whistling happily. Zuko shook his head. As thrilled as he was that his friends were going to be close by, the thought of _this_ Sokka as ambassador, a role of great responsibility, was honestly a bit worrying.

Zuko knocked on Iroh’s door and crept in. His uncle was on his balcony enjoying probably his twentieth cup of tea that morning.

“Uncle?”

“Good morning, Zuko!” Iroh greeted. “Would you care for a cup of tea?”

“Do I have a choice?” Zuko smiled lightly as he sat opposite his uncle. Iroh thought for a moment, then shook his head, chuckling. Zuko couldn’t help but chuckle with him and accepted the beverage gratefully.

“Uncle, I need your advice on something,” Zuko started, getting straight to the point.

“I am a popular man today, it seems,” Iroh remarked. “I should start posting office hours.”

“Should I make an appointment?” Zuko joked.

“I think I can make an exception for my nephew,” Iroh smiled at him. He sipped his tea and waited for Zuko to continue.

“I…well, I…I need to talk to you about something,” Zuko muttered nervously. Iroh nodded in understanding and waited patiently for Zuko to continue. “I think…I think I’m in love.” Iroh’s eyes widened and he fought hard not to spit the tea back out. He swallowed it roughly and regarded his nephew, who was watching him anxiously. “Is it that surprising?”

“No, not at all,” Iroh assured him. “Well, only in that you haven’t shown a lot of interest in romance since Inari.” That was fair, Zuko decided. He and his uncle exchanged frequent letters, and the only time Zuko had even hinted at the prospect of romance was to share his chagrin at the noblewomen who were only interested in being the Fire Lady for the power and status the position held.

Iroh could understand Zuko’s frustration. He knew that Zuko would be very sweet and loving with whomever was lucky enough to marry him. It shouldn’t be too much to ask for the same from his future wife, even if he was the Fire Lord. Strictly speaking, the Fire Lords were free to choose their own wives in any event, but it was extremely rare that it wasn’t a noblewoman, usually someone who had been selected by their parents at a young age. They were free to refuse if the match didn’t work, but the concept of marrying for love was still relatively unknown for the Fire Lord. The same went for the Fire Lord’s offspring, although the rules surrounding their marriages were generally much more rigid. Ursa had been an exception to the nobility rule, as Fire Lord Azulon had determined that Avatar Roku’s heritage would only strengthen the royal bloodline.

“That’s true,” Zuko conceded. “But there hasn’t been anyone I’ve been interested in.” Iroh nodded in understanding. “Well, until now…”

“I’m really pleased to hear that, Zuko,” Iroh smiled at him. Zuko felt himself begin to relax. “I must confess, I was worried you were in here to talk about Inari.”

“Why would I?” Zuko asked confused. And then he realised. “Right…it’s almost been a year since we ended things. I hadn’t even noticed.”

“That’s splendid,” Iroh smiled at him. “I’m sorry I brought it up. Now, tell me all about this love of yours.”

“She’s…she’s the most incredible woman I’ve ever met,” Zuko sighed happily. An image of Katara’s breathtaking smile formed in his mind, and he felt overcome with the same longing that plagued him whenever he thought of her. “I’m crazy about her.” Iroh nodded sagely. He had been in love once or twice. He knew exactly what Zuko was going through. He was also extremely pleased that Zuko felt comfortable enough to actually talk to him about it, instead of allowing it to twist his guts inside out, as his nephew was wont to do. Even Fire Lords needed a bit of help with romance sometimes.

“Mmhmm, and how can I help?” Iroh asked.

“I just…I don’t know what to do. I don’t feel like I can ever act on it.”

“Why not?” It was a simple question, and a fair one. And Zuko really wasn’t sure how to answer. “Is it because…because you’re worried about what happened last time?”

“No, I told you, I wasn’t even thinking about that,” Zuko assured Iroh.

“Then why?”

“I guess…because I’m Fire Lord. I don’t know if anything could ever happen between us. If she even wants it to.” Iroh nodded thoughtfully.

“I take it she is not a noblewoman?” Zuko shook his head in assent. “Well…neither was your mother, strictly speaking,” Iroh pointed out gently. “And I mean that with no disrespect whatsoever. My point is, it’s not unheard of.”

“I get what you’re saying, but the truth is…she’s not even from the Fire Nation…”

“Oh!” Iroh exclaimed in surprise. “My, you young ones are really keeping me on my toes today. Who is she?” This was where Zuko wanted to balk. He knew his uncle would ask this question, but Zuko hadn’t made up his mind whether to confess that it was Katara. Did it make him sound pathetic, that he was pining after his best friend? Was it even right, or fair? And then of course, there was the small fact that Katara may end up returning to Ba Sing Se with his uncle after the vacation was over. Would that just make it awkward for all of them?

“I…I think I made a mistake,” Zuko stuttered. “I should go.” He stood up to leave, but Iroh gently placed a hand on his wrist and gestured for him to return to his seat.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” Iroh told him. “I thought it might help me to know who she is, but don’t force yourself if you’re uncomfortable.”

“It’s not that,” Zuko replied. “It’s just…it could make things really complicated. For everyone.”

“Very well, Zuko, let me ask you this. If you do nothing, what do you think will happen?”

“Well, nothing.”

“Mmhmm, and what do you think will happen if you tell her how you feel?”

“It could mess everything up!” Zuko exclaimed in frustration. “Uncle, you don’t get it, it’s…” he sighed. Iroh was once again right. He couldn’t help Zuko if he didn’t know who she was. Otherwise the conversation would inevitably end in a proverb unique to Iroh that could take Zuko days to decipher.

“It’s Katara,” Zuko finally admitted. A small weight felt like it had been lifted from his chest, now that he had finally said it out loud. “I can’t stop thinking about her. It’s driving me crazy.” This time, Iroh didn’t splutter. He calmly put his cup of tea down, and stared at Zuko thoughtfully. Zuko and Katara…Iroh couldn’t lie, he had briefly considered that prospect himself. It had been nothing more than a passing thought, before Mai came back into Zuko’s life. And yet here his nephew was, professing he was in love with the waterbender.

“When did you start having these feelings?” Iroh asked curiously.

“Not long ago. I guess since that battle in Ba Sing Se I always thought she was…um…you know?” Shockingly, Iroh did, and he nodded. “But since we got here, I don’t know. It’s all happened so fast.”

“Are you certain it’s not just an infatuation?”

“Yes,” Zuko said confidently. “Really sure. Believe me, I know the difference. I haven’t felt like this since Mai.”

“Well, it can be a tricky one, my nephew, that much is true…but I have to ask, what are you so afraid will happen if you tell her?”

“I’m afraid that I’ll lose her friendship,” Zuko confessed sadly. “And also, if I mess things up with her, what does that mean for her? I think she’s assuming she’ll go back to Ba Sing Se with you. She’ll have nowhere to go. I can’t do that to her.”

“I don’t want you to worry about that,” Iroh assured him. “Katara will always be welcome with me as long as she wants, no matter what happens between you two.”

“Thank you, Uncle,” Zuko smiled gratefully.

“Wonderful…now what other excuses can we knock down?” Iroh joked. Zuko shook his head in mild despair. “Too soon?” Zuko nodded. “My apologies.”

“Look, Zuko,” Iroh sighed. “I know you. So I know you’ll have spent far too much time worrying about what would happen if Katara didn’t feel the same. But have you ever stopped to consider what might happen if she does?” Zuko didn’t answer. He hadn’t dared to allow himself to imagine that scenario. He knew he wouldn't handle the crushing sting of rejection very well if it didn't turn out the way he wanted. As if it could possibly be true anyway. Katara was very affectionate with him, yes, but that was just Katara. The only time that really gave him pause for thought was that _moment_ a few days ago. When they had held each other, and Zuko had started leaning in, and he could have sworn Katara had as well. But that didn’t necessarily mean anything. He understood that she had probably just got caught up in the heat of the moment.

“Even if – and that’s a big ‘if’ – Katara feels the same, I really don’t see how we could make it work. I can’t leave the Fire Nation,” Zuko said bitterly.

“So? Why can’t she come to you?”

Zuko shook his head. “I can’t ask her to do that.”

“Shouldn’t that be her decision?” Zuko recognised his own words echoing back at him, from when he had spoken with Suki. About a practically identical scenario, he realised. He had been the one to tell Suki she needed to speak to Sokka. What a hypocrite he was, he mused. “Zuko, I think you may be getting ahead of yourself,” Iroh explained gently. “As of right now, Katara is your friend, correct?”

“She’s my best friend.”

“Of course, of course,” Iroh agreed. “Then you will know that even if your feelings are unrequited, Katara is not the sort of person who would make it difficult for you. Most likely, she would be as afraid as you are of losing your friendship.” Zuko nodded. “As long as you both are willing to work together, I see no reason why it should affect anything. Long-term, at least. You’re both very determined and passionate people. Why are you so quick to assume she would stop speaking to you?” Zuko shrugged unhelpfully. “I think what you need to do first of all is see if she is open to the idea. Invite her out to tea.”

“Not everything can be solved with tea, Uncle,” Zuko sighed. Iroh put the pot down with a clang, and stared hardly at his nephew, and shook his head. Zuko looked back and resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his uncle’s antics. He settled for a smirk instead. Iroh shook his head again, and re-filled Zuko’s cup to the brim. Zuko understood that before he would be allowed to leave, he would have to finish it. “But it is very refreshing,” he added.

“Yes it is,” Iroh nodded, and grinned. “But, as much as it pains me to say, you may be right.”

Now it was Zuko’s turn to splutter. “You’re admitting I’m right? About tea?!”

“Don’t push it, nephew. You may be the Fire Lord, but I still hold some sway in the Fire Nation,” Iroh warned darkly. “I’m sure if I pulled a few strings, I could make sure that Tea Appreciation Day was celebrated each month!”

Zuko blinked in surprise at his uncle’s sudden outburst.

“That’s really not the threat you think it is,” Zuko smirked in amusement. Iroh couldn’t help but agree and chuckled along with him. “What were you saying?”

“Before you worry about the future, you should see if there’s anything to even worry about,” Iroh continued.

“How?”

“I believe you young ones call it dating,” Iroh replied drily.

“You think I should ask her out on a date? Isn’t that the same thing as just admitting I’m crazy about her?”

“Not at all. All you’re doing is inviting her to spend some time alone together. It’s not the same as telling Katara you’re in love with her.” Zuko shook his head uncertainly. He couldn’t do that…could he? It seemed so…sudden. Would Katara feel ambushed, if he just asked her? Would it upset her, knowing that while she just thought she and Zuko were really close friends, he had actually been longing for more? Would she believe that she wasn’t enough for him anymore if she didn’t return his feelings? He didn’t know. He just…didn’t know. It was why he had come to his uncle in the first place. And through all their years and travails together, Zuko couldn’t think of a single occasion his uncle had steered him wrong…

“Perhaps you’re right,” Zuko said softly. It didn’t _have_ to be a terrible idea, not if Zuko played his cards right. He could just ask Katara if she wanted to have dinner with him. That was a fairly innocent thing to do. He could always just tell her he wanted to take her out as his friend if he had to. Did friends do that for each other?

‘They do now,’ he thought, exhausted from arguing with himself. Feeling strangely confident, Zuko made up his mind. He was going to ask Katara out…hopefully on a date, but he would see how the conversation went. Also, if Katara said no, he would at least then know exactly where he stood. He could then move on, and they could go back to how it was before. Iroh was right. Katara wasn’t the sort of person who would make him feel humiliated. As long as he didn’t do something _really_ stupid, she would do everything in her power to make sure he didn’t feel awkward.

It was one of the reasons he loved her.

****

Without realising it, Katara had almost arrived back at the house. She could see the courtyard through the thinning trees. How long had she been out here, she wondered.

And then she saw Zuko, pacing agitatedly off to one side, near the koi pond. She felt a flutter in her chest and she couldn’t help but smile at the sight of him. Maybe she could just tell him? Maybe he felt the same? Maybe he’d swoop her up in his arms and kiss her-

She stopped herself. Her face fell as she sighed again.

She _did_ need to tell him…but only because this wasn’t fair to Zuko. He thought he had found a true friend in her. And like a terrible friend, she had spent the last couple of days trying to avoid spending too much time alone with him (not that she had been successful), all because of her stupid feelings. Had he even noticed? She hoped not.

At least if he knew the truth, painful as it might be, they could both begin to move on…

****

Zuko’s mind was reeling. He felt like he had conceived and run through every possible scenario as to exactly _how_ he should ask Katara out, but each one had fallen flat. It didn’t help that he had never asked anyone out before. He and Mai had been pushed together by Azula and Ty Lee (he later learned they had essentially planned to use Mai as a lure to ensure he went back with them to the Fire Nation, a notion which disgusted him). None of the noblewomen who had been thrown at him by their overeager parents had endured more than a private dinner with him within the confines of the Royal Palace.

Except for Inari but even their ‘relationship’, as much as it was one, had never been public. Inari had always preached the same excuse, she didn’t want people ‘getting the wrong idea’. At the time, Zuko hadn’t minded. He was willing to go to great lengths to ensure she was comfortable in his presence, and if that meant secrecy was the order of the day, he had been happy to play along. Once he had discovered the truth, suddenly it all made sense. He had been filled with bitter resentment for a long time, longer than was probably healthy, but now he didn’t even think about her. He wondered if another nobleman had fallen for her charms. He wondered if she was happy being a trophy wife. She was too smart for that, like Mai, but unlike Mai she didn’t seem to have the ambition to reach for something grander. Her idea of grand had been very much in line with her parents’ – the coveted position of Fire Lady. Or more accurately, the coveted position of being able to whisper in the Fire Lord’s ear. That was all she had wanted, in the end. The ‘secrecy’ had been her way of manipulating him not to seek counsel from outside of their bubble. It had been her way of ensuring he only listened to her. And listened he had. Long enough that he had truly believed for a time they were in love, that Inari was interested in him for _him_.

Zuko hated to admit it, but Inari had bitten him. Hard. It hadn’t even really bothered him that Inari herself wasn’t sincere, but the idea she had promised that someone _could_ be had been wrenched from him. Katara was sincere, he was sure of it. She enjoyed his company, she sought him out almost as often as he wanted to seek her out, she never demanded anything of him, she understood him, she listened, and she didn’t make him feel like he was being awkward. But so had Inari. Her ministrations had been rather expert, and he couldn’t help but think how proud Azula would have been had she been around to witness it. But Katara wasn’t like that. She wasn’t. Zuko had nothing to be afraid of in that respect.

“Hey, Katara,” he practiced for what felt like the hundredth time. “Did you want to…get dinner? Together? Just us, I mean?” Even when Katara wasn’t around to hear him, his nerves somehow still failed him. “As friends! I want to do this with everyone, but I thought I’d start with you. Because you’re my best friend!” He pointed at where Katara would be standing, and sighed and shook his head. “Why am I so bad at this?” he lamented aloud. That was probably the lamest way to ask a girl out in history. Was this why the royal family usually got their parents to do the heavy lifting for them? Suddenly, he had a lot of sympathy for the concept of arranged marriages. If his father hadn’t hated him, would he already be married to a suitable noblewoman? He had been of age when the war ended. But he wouldn’t be where he was right now, he could say that for certain. As difficult as this was, his current circumstances were preferable. For the most part.

“Why is this so _hard_?” he groaned in frustration.

“What’s so hard?” a sweet female voice behind him asked curiously. Zuko froze. Of course it had to be Katara who found him like this. What else would the spirits do to amuse themselves except ensure Zuko placed himself in as many humiliating situations as possible?

“Nothing,” he replied. Katara walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He felt tense. ‘I know how you feel, buddy,’ she thought. She wondered if it would be inappropriate to offer to rub his shoulders. Did friends do that for each other? Friends who weren’t pining after the other, at least?

“Are you okay?” she eventually settled with, giving his shoulder a comforting squeeze.

“Fire Nation business,” he lied.

“Do you…need another minute to yell at the sky?” she smiled. “Cos I can come back-”

“No, it’s okay,” he smiled back, feeling relief surge through his system. He turned to face her, and without warning, Katara threw her arms around him. He stumbled slightly, but gladly wrapped his own arms back around her. “What’s that for?” he asked, puzzled.

“You looked like you could use a hug,” she replied, pulling away. “And honestly, I kind of needed one too,” she admitted. Zuko felt a flutter of worry at her words. Before he had a chance to ask her what was wrong, Katara continued, “Zuko, if there’s anything you want to talk about, I’m here for you. You know that, right?”

“Actually,” he began softly, feeling his stomach begin to twist at what it knew was coming. “There is something.”

“Okay,” she nodded. “I…” she paused and began nervously playing with her hair. ‘Just _do_ it!’ she chastised herself. “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about too.”

“What’s the matter, Katara?” he asked her, full of concern. She shook her head.

“It’s okay. You can go first.” Now it was Zuko’s turn to shake his head.

“Sorry, but you’ve got me worried now. Mine’s not important.” Katara sighed again. Of course Zuko put himself aside and let her go first. That was just how he was, when he cared about someone. As she was swept up in another wave of affection for him, Zuko took her hand in his and squeezed affectionately. Katara felt strangely relieved at the gesture. ‘Thank you, Zuko,’ she thought fondly. ‘Maybe we can be okay…’

“I…I have to be honest with you about something,” she began, claiming her hand back. A cold pit of fear formed in her own stomach, and she clammed up. Her heart pounded deafeningly in her ears, and she felt an entire rabble of butterflies take flight in her stomach. Inside, she was chastising herself once more. ‘This is ridiculous! I am a master waterbender! I helped end the war! Just _say_ it!’

‘I can’t stop thinking about you,’ she thought, looking up at him. She had prepared a little speech but now that the moment had come, her words failed her. What was she supposed to say? That she really, _really_ liked Zuko, and not just as her friend, but of course he _was_ her friend, and he was really important to her? She needed him to know that it was totally okay if he didn’t feel the same she got it what mattered was that they were friends and she really hoped she hadn’t messed everything up but she just couldn’t keep it inside anymore?

It was the truth but it sounded desperate.

What Katara ended up saying, after far too long had passed for her stuttering to remain reasonable, was a hurried: “I still owe you a fight!” Zuko frowned in confusion. _That_ was what Katara wanted to talk to him about? Then why had she seemed so nervous and unsure of herself? That wasn’t like her at all.

“Erm, sure,” he agreed uncertainly. “Katara, is that really all you wanted to talk about?” Katara fidgeted across from him, and sighed.

“I won’t lie to you, Zuko,” she admitted, twirling another strand of hair between her fingers. “I do have some…uh…pent up energy I need to get out of my system.” She looked up at him and smirked, channelling her inner Toph. “And kicking the Fire Lord’s ass seems as good a way to do it as any.”

“Oh really?” he chuckled. “Does this mean Master Katara is ready to accept my challenge?”

Katara nodded determinedly. “It does, Fire Lord Zuko. Are you ready to settle this?”

But before Zuko could reply, they heard Suki’s voice ring out from around the corner, calling for Zuko .

‘Why does that keep happening?’ Zuko wondered.

“Oh hey, Katara!” Suki greeted as she spotted them. “I didn’t realise you were back.”

“Yeah, well, I heard Zuko yelling at the clouds so I thought I’d better come check it out,” Katara smirked. Zuko scowled at her, but Katara was deliberately avoiding his gaze, to keep from breaking into nervous laughter. Suki tittered.

“I think Sokka and Toph just want to spend the day on the beach,” Suki explained. “Are you two joining us?”

“Definitely,” Katara replied eagerly as Zuko nodded. “I don’t think I’ve spent enough time in the ocean yet.”

“Is that code for you want another water fight?” Suki smirked, crossing her arms. Katara shrugged nonchalantly.

“Maybe a little,” she smirked back. Not that it had anything to do with the fact that it would mean once again seeing her element dripping down the toned, firm chest of a shirtless Zuko…no, that had nothing to do with it at all.

****

After passing a lazy few hours on the beach, Katara felt relaxed and more than ready for her upcoming sparring session with Zuko. They had decided upon getting back to the house that they would change and walk through the woods back up to the cliff where Zuko had initially challenged her. Sokka had let Katara in on his plan for that evening. When Katara had stopped squealing with excitement on his behalf, and let him go from the rather crushing hug she’d pulled him into, she had insisted as eagerly as Iroh that he tell her _everything_ when he and Suki came back that evening. It didn’t occur to Katara for one second that Suki might say no, and Sokka felt oddly comforted by his sister’s certainty of that. She wished him luck and said she would see him that evening before going to meet Zuko back in the courtyard.

Zuko, for his part, was feeling a bit frustrated with himself that he hadn’t yet plucked up the courage to talk to Katara, but he reasoned it was probably better he hadn’t done it at the house. Especially when it had turned out that Suki had been so nearby.

Maybe he would get a chance after they sparred. He felt quietly confident that he would be able to beat her. The clouds had cleared and the sun was beating down heavily on the clifftop as they emerged from the woods. He would literally be basking in the source of his element, although he acknowledged that Katara had the whole ocean not too far below them. Her bending _had_ to be strong enough to pull it from that distance. He was sure he had seen her achieve much more remarkable feats. Not to mention, he had noticed the glaring absence of Katara’s trademark waterskin as they’d walked. She wouldn’t come to spar unarmed. She obviously had other methods.

She turned to him, determination and a spark of excitement clearly visible on her face as they stopped.

“Well, we’re here. You’re the challenger. What are the rules?” she asked him, grinning.

“The first person to knock the other down, wins,” he decided, a determined smile of his own breaking out.

“Oh yeah, cos that worked _so_ well for you last time,” Katara smirked, thinking back to their water fight on their first day on Ember Island. Zuko had slipped very unceremoniously then, and now he was cocky enough to take her on and think he could win in a fight where she could use actual waterbending? “You’re going _down_ ,” she said and confidently strode away from him to the opposite end of the cliff. As Zuko had suspected, she streamed some water up from the ocean and turned to face him. Even from this distance, he could still see the glint in her eye. Well, Zuko couldn’t allow that. He was the Fire Lord. She was the one who was going down.

He bent into a firebending stance and punched his fist forwards, feeling the fierce and chaotic energy surge through him before sending a fireball in Katara’s direction. She easily stepped aside and let it swirl past her. She laughed lightly to herself. Zuko was going to have to do a _lot_ better than that. He sent some more fireballs towards her, but she dodged each one, not even having to rely on her element to defend herself.

“Is that the best you got?!” she teased from across their makeshift arena. Zuko couldn’t help but grin. If that was how she wanted to play it… He shifted into a different stance, and sent a volley of fireballs in her direction, before kicking one final one out which was much bigger than the others. He wasn’t worried for her. He knew she could block them. Katara coated her hands in the water and deftly deflected each one, as if she were blocking punches. Her eyes widened at the sight of the larger fireball though. She didn’t have enough time to draw up a shield, so instead she froze the ground beneath her feet and began skating around him. Zuko threw more fireballs as she circled him, but none of them even came close. She conjured up an iceball of her own and launched it at him, mimicking his own movements he noticed with slight surprise. When had she started doing that? He drew up a wall of fire and the iceball sizzled and evaporated into steam.

Katara quickly changed tactics, and bent a water whip. It would be easier to get that through any fire walls Zuko put up. She lashed out at him, but she had stopped skating for the time being. She could end this battle in moments, she knew. All she had to do was freeze him in place. If it was deep enough, he would be rendered powerless. But that wasn’t in the spirit of this sparring session. That was an endgame move…and Katara wasn’t done playing yet.

Now it was Zuko’s turn to be on the defensive as Katara used her water whip and a flurry of iceballs to try and knock him off-balance. He retaliated with a fire whip. Katara leaned backwards underneath it to dodge it, and as it circled above her head, she reached up for the whip and froze it. The cold shock travelled all the way back up to Zuko’s arm, and he jolted in surprise. That was also a new one.

They carried on like this, each introducing new forms and moves that neither had seen the other do before, but ultimately it was a stalemate. As they both began to tire, the option of freezing him became more and more appealing. But she would have to find an opening. Zuko had got into the habit of bringing up fire walls each time Katara blasted her element at him, and it always sizzled into nothing. She physically couldn’t bend anything cold enough to withstand the heat and nothing broke through. She began skating around him again, hoping to catch him off-guard, but in response he put up flaming walls all around him, cutting her off completely. She grimaced. Zuko was a much tougher opponent than she had anticipated. He was a lot more disciplined than those lowlifes in the Earth Kingdom village. And a lot more powerful. If they had been as powerful as Zuko was now, she would never have been able to take on all three of them without help.

She skidded to a halt, considering her options. There was nothing she could do to break through those walls, not from that distance. She would have to get closer. She blasted sheets of ice at the flames licking the ground in front of her. The ice melted on impact, but she didn’t need it to break through and continue on its journey. She just needed to create a gap. Eventually, the spot she was attacking cooled enough that the flames died out, leaving a narrow crack in Zuko’s shield. She quickly slid through, propelled by a platform of ice she bent underneath her. Inside, she found Zuko twisting and turning his head, trying to work out where she was. Their eyes met, and the flames suddenly withdrew. Only slightly. But enough for Katara to know her presence had caused that reaction. She smirked at him and sent another iceball in his direction. He crossed his wrists in front of him and tore it apart with his heat just before it made impact. She could see he was panting heavily. This was as tough for him as it was for her. She had her opening.

Katara continued to blast water and ice at Zuko, and each time he deflected, but he was beginning to lose ground. He stepped further and further back before finally retaliating with a blast of his own. She put up a wall of ice and ducked as it soared through. Then Zuko made a fatal mistake. He hesitated. In that split-second, Katara pushed the water from her ice wall with all her might and it whizzed along the ground towards him.

Zuko was half-lowered into another attack stance when he found he was unable to move. His legs and arms were completely encased in ice. He tried to bend enough heat to melt it, but Katara was taking the full opportunity to only make it thicker and quickly replaced any he had successfully melted away.

This time, she strode towards him confidently. “Do you yield?” she asked him casually. A sphere of water hovered above her left palm. Katara flicked her wrist lazily and it froze before his eyes. Zuko had to concede defeat. True, he wasn’t on his ass, but now that she had him pinned, he wasn’t getting out of this one. He nodded both solemnly and sheepishly at the same time. Katara smiled that delightful smile of hers, and with a wave of her hand, the ice spilled away from him as she melted it. She streamed it back into the ocean as he collapsed on the ground in fatigue.

“That was…intense,” he said breathlessly.

“That was fun,” she agreed happily, flopping down beside him. “You’ve gotten a lot better.”

“Thanks…I think.” After a few moments, both of them had recovered their breath. Katara stood first, and extended a hand to Zuko. Grinning, he took it…but unlike all the other times she had needlessly helped him up, neither of them seemed to want to let go. He rooted himself to the spot as he regarded his opponent, fiercer than she looked and dressed proudly in Water Tribe blues. He expected her to taunt him, to revel in her victory over the Fire Lord. But she was silent, breathing heavily, and had an indecipherable expression on her face.

Katara was flooded with a powerful rush from their fight. That same yearning, itching feeling was stirring up inside her again. Except now, she was fuelled not only by her desire for Zuko, but also by adrenaline. She didn’t think she would have the power to resist this time, not with that intoxicating cocktail coursing through every fibre of her being.

Zuko seemed to be looking at her just as intensely. Did that mean what she thought it did?

In a moment of utter clarity, Katara saw what was going to happen and there was nothing she could do to stop it. This time, her nerves weren’t going to fail her. She was going to do it. She was going to risk it all. The adrenaline and the desire were too much for her to bear. She just _couldn’t_ keep it bottled up anymore.

She let go on Zuko’s hand and placed both of hers on his shoulders. She took a deep, steadying breath, and with a rush of courage and sensations she couldn’t keep at bay, Katara leaned in and tenderly pressed her lips to his…

****

If Sokka thought he had been nervous earlier, it paled dimly in comparison to how he felt now. He and Suki were on their way to the place that Iroh had suggested. The island had once again been treated to a glorious sunset, although the myriad of orange and pink hues had given way to a soft deep blue as it grew later. It was dark enough that the brightest stars had begun to emerge. It was about as romantic as he could have asked for. He made a show of lugging the basket housing their picnic dinner, so as to justify not holding Suki’s hand as they walked. He didn’t want her to feel him shaking and ask what was going on. He was still being unusually quiet, however.

“I think this is the place,” he told her. They stood at the top of one of Ember Island’s numerous cliffs. Ahead of them, there was a wooden stairway leading down to a small, secluded beach. It didn’t look like much from here, but Iroh had promised him that as night fell, the wait would be more than worth it. Even if it wasn’t, it was cosy and, more importantly, private. The beach was a public place, but Iroh had passed it many times on his constitutionals and never once seen anyone down there. It surprised him, given the unique beauty of this place. The sand was a murky, shadowy colour, but felt just as soft to the touch. Sokka laid down the blanket and held out his hand to Suki.

“Milady?” he grinned goofily.

“Milord,” she smiled in return as she sat down. Sokka began unpacking their meal, starting with one of the bottles of firewine he had managed to sneak out of Zuko’s drinks cabinet. He would pay him back later. If Zuko even noticed. He poured them both a glass and sat down beside her, staring adoringly at her. If Suki was the type to blush, this would have been the moment for it. She leaned in and kissed him softly. Sokka wilted.

“I love you,” he told her.

“I love you too.”

As Suki turned to look out at the ocean, Sokka quickly patted his dress tunic. He felt the familiar presence of the package buried deep in one of the inside pockets. He would wait until after they had eaten dinner to do it. Until the sun had set and the moon was high in the sky. Iroh had told him that was when the beach revealed just what made it so magical.

Strictly speaking, Sokka’s tunic was what he wore when he was working official business with his father, but it was one of the only pieces of formal attire he owned. And the only one he had brought with him. He would have to ensure more got shipped to him from the South Pole when he took up the role of ambassador. For now, though, it did nicely. Suki herself was donning the same red cheongsam she had worn the first time they had gone out to the tavern. Sokka thought Suki always looked breathtaking. He was particularly fond of her Kyoshi Warriors uniform, as he had made clear to her on several occasions, sometimes even occasions of a more amorous nature. He wouldn’t change a thing about her. For Suki, that feeling was mutual. Sokka was the love of her life. His ridiculous jokes and sometimes outrageous behaviour were all a crucial part of what made Sokka who he was. That was the man she had fallen in love with, and she was glad Sokka had never felt or been compelled to change.

“So, why were you keen to eat here?” she asked him curiously, taking his hand.

“You don’t like it?”

“I do, it’s beautiful,” Suki clarified. “I was just wondering…why here?”

“Trust me,” Sokka assured her. “I have it on good authority that it’s worth it.” He kissed her once more. “Besides, can’t a guy treat his amazing, incredible girlfriend to a romantic evening just because?” He cupped her cheek with one of his hands and kissed her again, more deeply this time. Suki’s arms came up and wrapped around his shoulders. For a moment, their picnic was forgotten as they embraced and became lost in each other. The stillness of this idyllic scene was broken only by the gentle symphony of the waves crashing onto the shore.

They pulled apart and regarded each other happily.

“Would you care for some food, milady?” he offered. She nodded and leaned back on her hands. She didn’t know what she had done in a past life to deserve this, but it must have been world-altering. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was. By now, the evening had given way to night, and the moon hung low in the sky, bathing the beach in a serene, ethereal glow. She cast her eyes back out to the ocean, and she saw it. The trance she had fallen into broke and she gasped loudly in shock.

“Sokka! What is that?!”

****

Katara lingered for only a moment before pulling away, and daring to open her eyes. Zuko looked, for lack of a better word, utterly _stunned_. Katara’s heart began to race once more, although she wasn’t sure if it was with longing or worry that she had pushed it too far. She should have talked to him, _asked_ him. Why had she just leaned in? What had she been thinking? She knew how grating it could be from when Aang had done it to her four years ago!

Zuko had indeed frozen in shock, his heart hammering in his chest as he absorbed what had just happened. Katara had just _kissed_ him…how, what…? He opened his mouth a few times but couldn’t force the words from his throat. But Katara mistook the reason for his silence.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” she whispered, sounding so small. “I’m so sorry, Zuko.”

Once Zuko finally regained his senses, his face broke out into a smile. A genuine, relaxed smile. Katara…felt the same? So Zuko had once again been a big idiot by just not using his words? How did he manage to keep falling into that same trap? He was ready to laugh at himself, and he was certain the woman who stood before him would laugh with him when he told her. But right now, he had something much more important he needed to do.

“It’s okay,” he told her softly. He gently placed his hands on either side of her waist. “I’m…I’m glad you did.” Katara’s heart fluttered as he then quickly leaned in and crushed his lips back to hers. Katara gasped internally, but quickly got over her own shock, and she began to kiss him back.

Finally…finally everything felt like it was slotting into place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the halfway mark, folks! Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me so far. It will be a few weeks before I update this story again, but I hope I've left it in a good enough place, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it :)


	9. The Proposal, Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick recap of Part I - Sokka has followed Iroh's advice of where to propose to Suki; Katara and Zuko finally give in to their feelings for one another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that didn't turn out to be a very long break at all, but I really wanted to get this chapter out.
> 
> This one picks up immediately from where Chapter 8 left off, so...enjoy!

_Zuko had indeed frozen in shock, his heart hammering in his chest as he absorbed what had just happened. Katara had just_ kissed _him…how, what…? He opened his mouth a few times but couldn’t force the words from his throat. But Katara mistook the reason for his silence._

_“I shouldn’t have done that,” she whispered, sounding so small. “I’m so sorry, Zuko.”_

_Once Zuko finally regained his senses, his face broke out into a smile. A genuine, relaxed smile. Katara…felt the same? So Zuko had once again been a big idiot by just not using his words? How did he manage to keep falling into that same trap? He was ready to laugh at himself, and he was certain the woman who stood before him would laugh with him when he told her. But right now, he had something much more important he needed to do._

_“It’s okay,” he told her softly. He gently placed his hands on either side of her waist. “I’m…I’m glad you did.” Katara’s heart fluttered as he then quickly leaned in and crushed his lips back to hers. Katara gasped internally, but quickly got over her own shock, and she began to kiss him back._

****

It was slow at first, and gentle. Zuko’s lips were warm and tender and Katara only wanted more. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss, emboldened by the soft groan she provoked. It got her what she wanted. As she pressed herself firmly against him, his kisses became hungrier and filled with fire. His hands reached up to cup her face as hers pulled him closer. The thrilling sparks of energy in their stomachs quivered until the two were completely consumed by their passion. Katara ran her fingers through Zuko’s soft hair, until her thumb lightly grazed his scar.

But Zuko didn’t flinch. He didn’t seem to even notice it. He was as lost in Katara as she was in him. He kissed her like he needed her to breathe. He kissed her like the sun kissed the ocean every evening. He kissed her like the entire world had fallen away. Which for them, it had. All that existed for Katara and Zuko in that moment was each other.

When they eventually pulled away, they smiled almost shyly at one another, both breathing heavily. Katara couldn’t help the wide grin that was plastered across her face. She was completely powerless against the surge of happiness that had taken sudden control of her body.

“I…I guess this means you like me, too, huh?” she smiled.

“I’m crazy about you,” Zuko admitted, smiling lovingly down at her. All his earlier fear had vanished, and he felt immensely relieved of the burdens he had put upon himself fretting about his feelings. “I’ve wanted to do that for a while.” Katara beamed back at him. She knew that feeling all too well.

“We’re idiots, aren’t we?” Katara mused, unable to suppress a small laugh. They should have just _talked_ , like adults. “I can’t believe I didn’t say anything sooner. Well, I guess technically I didn’t _say_ anything…” She blushed at her own words, causing Zuko to smile.

“It’s okay,” Zuko assured her. “I didn’t either, remember?” And there he went, making her feel better, more at ease. Another surge of affection for Zuko pulsed through her, and she longed to be closer to him.

“Come here,” she said tenderly, pulling him in. She sighed contentedly as she leaned into his chest. Instinctively, Zuko closed his arms around her and held her tight.

“You know, I had a whole speech planned,” Katara muttered with amusement as she cuddled up to him. Zuko squeezed her affectionately, but was unable to suppress a snort of laughter.

“Damn,” he whispered. “I’m really sorry I missed that. Is it too late to take it back and start again?” The soft jab to his ribs was all the response he needed, but he could feel Katara giggling. 

Zuko never would know what possessed him to utter what he said next.

“I guess it’s a…good job Aang couldn’t make it after all,” he joked, with an adorable grin on his face. Before he paled as he realised what he’d said, and his eyes widened in horror. _Why_ had he said _that_? Now of all times? He groaned internally and began to push away, red hot embarrassment seeping into every muscle in his body. But Katara held him firm. When he looked at her, he was relieved to see she was smiling at him. Grinning, actually.

“You’re such a dork sometimes, Zuko!” she teased him playfully as she tenderly stroked his cheek, and kissed him lightly on the lips. His shoulders sagged but he couldn’t fight the feeling of happiness that was filling his chest. He could only nod in response. He _was_ a dork sometimes. Not as Fire Lord, thankfully (or at least he hoped) but Zuko, the 21-year-old trying to grapple with friendship and romance, could definitely be a dork. Maybe that was okay. Katara certainly seemed to think so.

Zuko regarded Katara longingly, acutely aware of his hands on her body and the mere inches of space between them. The woman in his arms, this beautiful, beguiling woman, took his breath away. Katara. He had just kissed _Katara_! And she had kissed him back (she had actually led the charge, now that he thought about it), and _what_ a kiss. It had been everything he’d dreamed of.

But then there was the doubtful, darker part of him that told him it should feel wrong, he should feel guilty about Aang…but when they’d embraced, everything seemed to slot into place. It felt like he was exactly where he was supposed to be. It felt…right. When his gaze met hers, he saw only longing in her eyes. Longing…for _him_. It made him light up inside, and the dark and doubtful voice was quickly quashed.

Katara was her own woman. She knew what she wanted. She wasn’t thinking about Aang. She certainly didn’t need him to on her behalf.

“I guess we should think about heading back,” he heard her say, her sweet voice muffled in his tunic. She sounded incredibly reluctant. But she was right. Neither of them were sure how long they’d been gone, but they didn’t want anyone to worry about them, and besides that, Zuko’s family and Toph would be expecting them for dinner. Iroh, in particular, would want a few words, Zuko was certain.

Reluctantly, they pulled away from each other and began the short trek back through the forest to the house. Zuko reached for Katara’s hand, and felt a small thrill as she took it and interlaced her fingers with his. Another jolt of energy passed between them and they smiled at each other. This wasn’t just them offering comfort to one another. Things were different now, and they could both feel it. Zuko could only hope Katara was as glad as he was about that.

There was still a question Zuko needed to ask her, he knew. He hadn’t gotten the chance earlier, when Suki had found them. Now, although his nerves were still jumbled, he felt ready to do it. He felt much more confident that she would say yes.

But he would wait until after dinner. He was sure Iroh had mentioned once that asking girls out on an empty stomach wasn’t a good idea. Yes…that was definitely something Iroh would say, he convinced himself.

****

“Sokka, what is that?!” Confused, Sokka followed Suki’s perplexed, almost stricken, gaze and when he spotted what she had, his own mouth fell open in wonderment.

“That’s incredible,” he breathed, filled with awe. Iroh had promised him something spectacular, but the older man had been hazy on the details, insisting it was something Sokka needed to see for himself to be able to fully appreciate it. He hadn’t been wrong. As secluded and romantic as this cove already was, this just made the whole evening perfect. Suki could only gasp as they took in the view before them.

The moon was beaming down on them, but what caught their eyes was the water. The inky black ocean stretched out as far as the eye could see, with a thin beam of light cast by the moon almost seeming to divide it. As the waves broke onto the shore, they left the blackness behind. It was an impossible sight to describe. The water positively shimmered, opalescent, as if the waves were studded with diamonds. Sokka felt as though he could reach into the water and hold the light in the palm of his hand. Suki came up to him and took his hand, still gasping in awe.

“What is it?” she asked him incredulously. Sokka shook his head. Truthfully, he didn’t know. He wasn’t even sure if Iroh knew. “How did you find this place?” Sokka decided to be honest with her. He tore his gaze from the luminescent waves and looked deeply into her eyes.

“I didn’t,” he admitted softly. “It was actually Zuko’s uncle who told me about this place. I said…I said I wanted to take you some place special.” He took a deep, anxious breath. He was going to do it, wasn’t he? He had been planning to wait until they had eaten, but after fate (and Iroh) had thrown him the most romantic moment he could ever have dreamt up, waiting just seemed stupid. This was the moment. _This_ was the moment… He could hear his heart pounding in his ears as Suki watched him expectantly. As if she knew what was coming. Perhaps she did, he mused. She was a very smart woman and she could read him like a scroll that was comprised mostly of illustrations. “I…” he stuttered. He took her hands in his, and fought to keep them from trembling too much. He didn’t understand why he was so nervous. He had faced literal _death_ too many times to count, but he had always picked himself up and dusted himself off, ready to charge back into the fray. But the thought of proposing to Suki right here, right now, was reducing him to a jellied mess.

“I love you so much,” he breathed, pulling her in for a kiss.

“I love you, too,” she echoed, slightly bemused.

“You’re my whole world,” Sokka told her. “I can’t imagine life without you. It’s been really hard over these last few years, hasn’t it?” Suki nodded in agreement, though her expression had changed to one of uncertainty. “And I know we’re moving to the Fire Nation together,” he continued, offering her a reassuring smile.

“That we are,” she agreed. Sokka sighed. He had had a whole speech planned, but it wasn’t going the way he had meant it to. He got so caught up when he was with Suki. She just had that effect on him. He loved it. He loved everything about her. Their relationship had had its share of hurdles, mostly to do with the distance and time they spent apart, but they had always come through it, and their relationship was stronger for it. That thought was soothing, Sokka found. It didn’t need to be perfect, he realised. Life wasn’t perfect, and their relationship hadn’t been either, not all the time. Suki didn’t expect, want nor demand perfection. She had made it clear time and time again she just wanted Sokka, exactly as he was. And Sokka just wanted Suki exactly as she was.

“I don’t ever want to be apart from you again,” he said with newfound resolve. “I can’t tell you how happy I am that we’re both going to be in the Fire Nation together.”

“Even if we didn’t handle it in the best way?” Suki smiled, letting a small giggle escape. Sokka couldn’t help but return her smile.

“Yeah, even if,” he agreed happily. “But, Suki, I have something I need to say to you…” He took another deep breath. He let go of her hands and dug around in his tunic for the necklace, relieved to see it hadn’t jumped out of his pocket since he’d last checked it five minutes ago. The betrothal necklace was wrapped in a light bundle of cloth and he closed his hand around it and pulled it out. He sank down onto his knees, and gazed up at his beloved.

“You are the love of my life,” Sokka told her earnestly. “I can’t imagine what my life would be like if you weren’t in it. And I don’t want to. Suki, I love you with all of my heart. Whether you’re laughing with me or yelling at me when I’m being stupid-” Suki giggled at that, despite herself. “I love you exactly as you are. You have always been there for me. And I want to always be there for you, for the rest of our lives, if you’ll have me.” Sokka carefully unwrapped the betrothal necklace, and offered it up to Suki, both of his palms outstretched, in the traditional Water Tribe tradition. Suki audibly gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth in shock.

Sokka had truly outdone himself. It was tradition in the Water Tribe for the men to carve the betrothal pendants themselves, with the ribbon supplied by their mothers or nearest female relative. Strictly speaking, it was a _Northern_ Water Tribe tradition, but one that Sokka had taken a real shine to. He imagined that even in the Southern Water Tribe, before the war, there must have been a similar tradition. He could hardly go hunting the best polar game for Suki here! This just said so much more, and Sokka knew his family understood – they had helped him. The ribbon on Suki’s necklace was a deep, dark shade of blue, a near-perfect match for Suki’s enchanting eyes. That had been no mistake, and Sokka would always feel eternally grateful to Gran-Gran for tirelessly dyeing and working the colours to be as close as possible. The pendant itself was a beautiful shade of emerald green, upon which Sokka had painstakingly carved the characters for Avatar Kyoshi. To Sokka’s mind, the betrothal necklace didn’t just represent his intentions, it was a symbol of their relationship – a union of Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom.

Sokka took another deep breath and finally asked the question that had been burning in his mind for months.

“Suki of the Kyoshi Warriors…will you marry me?”

****

Both Katara and Zuko were extremely restless that evening. Neither had been able to stop thinking about the other. Or that kiss… It had felt incredible. And it was something Katara was very keen to do again. She hoped Zuko felt the same, and the way he kept shooting furtive glances at her and smiling coyly when their eyes met across the dinner table told her the feeling was mutual. They were both acting as casually as they could, but inside they were desperate to get through the meal so they could enjoy an excuse to be alone together. Suki and Sokka had gone out for dinner, as Katara well knew, and though she was anxious for them to return with (hopefully) news of their betrothal and she could finally squeal at both of them excitedly without having to keep it a secret, she was also equally anxious to get Zuko alone again. Pick up where they left off.

Luck was on their side that evening. After dinner, Iroh stood up and announced he would be going for a walk and extended the usual invitation for anyone to join him. Toph jumped up instantly, and latched onto Kiyi, who was slightly bemused by Toph’s sudden enthusiasm but happily played along. Iroh chuckled at the two of them and asked if anyone else wanted to join him. Katara kept deliberately quiet, trying hard to avoid his gaze. If he asked her directly, she would feel compelled to say yes. Zuko was having the same quandary.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Toph smirked. Those two idiots were so glaringly obvious, even if she didn’t have her earthbending to help her see. Toph could tell they were both blushing furiously and making not-so-secret googly eyes at each other. It was only a matter of time before she cornered them and forced them to admit it, but for now she would leave them be. Whatever was going on, something very interesting had happened today, she could tell. It would be better not to wind them up and make them feel too awkward to confront their feelings for each other. No, the uncomfortable squirming could wait. Toph could be patient when she wanted to be.

Ursa and Noren decided they wanted to spend some time to themselves before everyone agreed to meet back at the house later, and they would just go for a walk on the beach. Katara and Zuko nodded and waved everyone off, not quite believing their fortune. It was almost as if the spirits were conspiring, except _for_ them for once. 

As soon as they were alone, Zuko smiled knowingly at Katara. He didn’t want to waste any time, so he motioned for them to go outside. It seemed safer than staying in the house where anyone who had forgotten something might walk in on them.

“Do you want to…go for a walk with me?” he asked.

“Another one?” Katara smirked, and gasped in mock outrage. “Are you just trying to get me _alone_ …in the _dark_ , Fire Lord Zuko?” she teased, a sultry smile gracing her face. Zuko stuttered momentarily, unsure of what the right way to react was. He wasn’t even sure if he’d actually offended her. Had he read too much into it? Oh spirits, why hadn’t he just-? “Because I’d be fine with that,” she clarified, seeing his struggle. He smiled in relief and nodded. She took his hand and led him outside, giggling.

Both of their hearts were racing, full of nerves and excitement. The thought of Zuko’s lips on Katara’s again almost made her want to launch at him then and there, but despite the unusually strong wine she had tried with her dinner, she knew better to at least wait until they were out of sight of the house. They ended up trailing into the edge of the forest just next to the koi pond, where they had shared confessed their secrets to each other. Where their relationship and understanding had really begun to blossom.

Once they were certain they wouldn’t easily be spotted if anyone did go looking for them, Zuko opened his mouth to talk but Katara had other ideas. She threw her arms around him and pulled him in for a passionate embrace. Zuko stumbled slightly at the force, but he certainly wasn’t complaining and kissed her back eagerly. His hands settled on her waist for a time, before slowly moving up her back and he gently cupped her face again. Katara felt a whirlwind of sensations as his hands moved up her body. The sparks from earlier were still very much alive and it awakened all of her senses to his touch. They were sensations that she didn’t feel very often. Sensations that reminded her she was a woman, and in her arms was a man who treated her like one. She moaned softly as he deepened the kiss between them, which in turn stirred a host of feelings in Zuko. By the spirits this felt so _good_.

After a few moments, they broke away from each other. There were no shy smiles this time. This time, they both were certain how the other felt. But, for Zuko at least, that did still leave a question hanging in the air.

“Katara,” he whispered, pulling her close. “We should…probably talk about this.”

Katara responded by kissing him again, lightly this time. “Yeah,” she breathed between kisses. “We – definitely – should.” But neither of them wanted Katara to stop. When she pulled away from him again, she hiccupped loudly. She flushed with embarrassment and clapped a hand over her mouth. “I am so sorry!”

“Don’t be,” Zuko smiled at her. But, then, he did start to wonder. “How much have you had to drink?”

“Uhhh…maybe just enough that doing this in the courtyard doesn’t seem like a terrible idea,” she admitted, giggling sheepishly. She smiled serenely at him. “But not so much that you don’t.” Zuko frowned in confusion. Her eyes widened. “Uh, because doing you – doing _this_ – already feels like a good idea!” she babbled quickly, hoping to recover herself. “It has nothing to do…with the…drink…” she trailed off and groaned. She moved away from him and put her head in her hands. ‘I am such an _idiot_ ,’ she chastised herself.

Beside her, she felt Zuko begin to shake. She looked up at him nervously and saw he had his head in one of his own hands. She could make out a big grin on his face, and she realised he was shaking with laughter. Katara wasn’t sure if he should be pleased he found it funny or if she should pout that he was laughing at her.

“Katara?” Zuko said happily.

“Yeah?”

“You’re a dork sometimes,” he chuckled, looking at her longingly. She snorted with laughter herself.

“Yeah, I guess I am, huh?” she agreed. He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips back to hers. He felt like he couldn’t get enough of her. He just wanted to hold her tightly and not let go. His hands trembled as she kissed him back and snaked her arms around his waist. He longed to go further, to explore her…but he didn’t know if she was ready for that, or even if she wanted it. His hands slipped down to her waist and he gently nudged her closer.

Zuko knew that if he let it be, he could get away with not talking about this tonight. If he wanted to, he could just keep kissing Katara, and enjoy all the incredible sensations that her touch evoked throughout his whole body. He still couldn’t believe that she liked him too. That she had been the one to kiss him first. It was a shame he hadn’t got to hear her speech, but her lips had already told him plenty in other ways, he thought.

And that was when he knew he didn’t just want to let it be. Katara had taken a plunge tonight, a big one, which Zuko could appreciate more than Katara realised. He had been on the verge of doing something himself. He didn’t think he would have been brave enough to kiss her, though. He had had enough trouble just mustering up the nerve to ask her to dinner. Taking her out on a date was still something he desperately wanted to do. Katara had been brave earlier. Now it was his turn.

He pulled away again, and became lost in the deep blue ocean of her eyes. She looked back at him longingly, her eyes sparkling with that delightful smile of hers. “Katara,” he whispered. “I…I never got a chance to say what I wanted to earlier.” Instantly, Katara’s smile was gone and she looked at him guiltily.

“Oh crap, you’re right!” she gasped. “I am so sorry-”

“No, it’s okay,” he smiled reassuringly. “You have nothing to apologise for.” Katara nodded, and smiled gratefully back at him. Zuko really was incredibly sweet. It honestly defied logic for Katara that he wasn’t already married, or at least involved with someone. Any woman who won his heart would be the luckiest woman in the world, if his recent behaviour was anything to go by. Which she knew it was. And there he was, wanting _her_ out of all the doubtless gorgeous noblewomen he must encounter in his court all the time. It was an extraordinary feeling, and Katara didn’t think she could remember ever feeling so serene and at peace with the world as she did in this moment.

She had been on the move, running for so long, not knowing when or even if she would stop. Ba Sing Se had been a pleasant, much-needed break from the chaos, and this vacation was just that – a vacation. But in a few short weeks, she would be on the move again, to who knew where. She had briefly mentioned going back to Ba Sing Se with Iroh, but she hadn’t even discussed that with him yet. He may decide that as much as he enjoyed her company, he didn’t want her around all the time, and Katara could appreciate that. The idea of carving her own life out in Ba Sing Se alone wasn’t hugely appealing either, and even now, nor was returning to the South Pole, at least long term.

There was another prospect she had been toying with…but again, she hadn’t actually discussed it with the parties concerned. She internally shook herself. When had she stopped _talking_ to people about the things that were on her mind?

But even as she asked herself this, in a dark part of her mind, she knew exactly when that had started. It had started long before three months ago…

As if he could sense her internal argument, Zuko took her hands in his and gave them a reassuring squeeze, and suddenly Katara was back.

“I did it again, didn’t I?” she chastised herself. “What was it you wanted to say?” This time, Katara promised herself, she would be all ears. Or at least if she did get distracted, it would be because Zuko was just so tantalisingly handsome, his body so tantalisingly close. She was sure he would understand that.

“Well,” he began softly. “I wanted to know if…um…that is, I wanted to ask you…” he stammered and trailed off, flustered. Good grief, he was the Fire Lord! ‘Pull yourself together!’ he snapped at himself. Katara was now looking completely bemused as well as concerned.

“What is it, Zuko?” she asked him kindly.

“Did you want to…have dinner…with me? Just us, I mean?”

Katara blinked in surprise. Had she heard that right? ‘Did Zuko just ask me out?’ And then another realisation hit her – this was what he had wanted to say before. Before their spar, before their kiss. ‘He was going to do that anyway?’ Katara almost felt ready to melt as another warm wave of affection and appreciation for Zuko swept through her. She had had plenty of those over the last couple of weeks. But this one felt…different. Stronger.

“You mean…go on a date with you?” she checked. Zuko nodded almost imperceptibly. Katara felt like she was ready to burst. Zuko wanted to take her on a date…that had to mean that he wasn’t just messing around. If that was all he wanted, why go to the trouble? Katara had made it clear she was into him. If all he wanted was stolen kisses and secret moments, he would hardly invite her to be seen in public with him. In public in the Fire Nation, no less. With the _Fire Lord_.

Katara had never actually been on a date, but had heard various friends talk about them, including Suki and Jin. They always seemed to have a great time…even if their dates sometimes gave them a coupon for free tea as a token of their affections… She suppressed a laugh as she imagined Zuko ending _their_ date like that.

Even though Katara was feeling a bit nervous about the prospect, every part of her told her to say yes. Her face broke out into that delightful, gorgeous smile of hers that Zuko so adored. “Of course! I would love that,” she beamed, and pulled him into a tight hug. “What did you have in mind?” she asked him as she pulled away and took his hands in hers again.

Truthfully, Zuko hadn’t thought that far. He could almost hear his Uncle Iroh in his head, tutting at him for not thinking things through. Again. He had put all of his energy into plucking up the courage to just _ask_ , and in none of his imagined scenarios had the Katara in his mind said yes so eagerly. Mind-Katara, in fact, could be downright cruel at times. But then again, Mind-Zuko was generally a lot more flustered than Zuko thought (hoped) he was in real life. He tried to think quickly, but his brain was failing him. Now that Katara had said yes, all thoughts were wiped from his mind.

“I have to be honest with you, Katara,” he told her sheepishly. “I didn’t think this far ahead.” She giggled lightly in response.

“I don’t know how you feel about this, but Sokka told me about this great restaurant he took Suki to. Maybe…we could check it out?”

“That sounds nice,” he agreed softly, his heart hammering. “How about…tomorrow?” Katara nodded and captured his lips once more. Zuko was… _not_ someone she would have ever imagined going on a date with even just a couple of short weeks ago, but the Zuko before her, the Zuko she now knew, was…pretty great. She had no tangible idea of what to expect from being on a date, but she was anxious to find out.

And this might also be the perfect opportunity to finally wear that dress she’d made in Ba Sing Se…

****

When Suki and Sokka returned to the house much later that evening, only Iroh and Katara really paid any attention. Much to Zuko’s chagrin, Iroh had decided it was high time that he crack out his Pai Sho set, but no amount of goading could persuade Zuko to play the game with his uncle. Iroh was a formidable opponent and pretty much unbeatable – against Zuko, at least. Ursa decided to take up the mantle in her son’s place. Kiyi initially watched with interest but quickly grew bored and wandered over to Toph, who was engaged in conversation with the others.

But as soon as they heard the front door close, both Katara and Iroh’s heads snapped up. They shared a conspiratorial glance and exchanged hopeful smiles. Zuko felt Katara shift excitedly beside him, but despite her eager anticipation, Katara managed to restrain herself from leaping up and ambushing the couple as they walked through the door. There was no doubt in Katara’s mind that their evening hadn’t gone well, and that Sokka and Suki would be returning as a betrothed couple. She held herself still but couldn’t keep the wide grin off her face. It seemed to take forever for the two to emerge into the lounge. Katara wouldn’t have been at all surprised if Sokka was just deliberately dragging it out to make her squirm – it was definitely the sort of thing he would do.

Her palpable excitement didn’t go unremarked by Toph, of course.

“What’s with you, Sugar Queen?” she asked, perplexed.

“I can’t say,” Katara replied regretfully. “Just…just wait.”

Sokka came in first. Katara unconsciously grabbed Zuko’s hand and clasped it firmly as she took in the sight of her brother. Zuko, for his part, wasn’t complaining at the gesture, even if her hold was almost uncomfortably tight, but he was equally as perplexed as Toph as to what had merited this reaction.

“What’s-?” he began to ask but Katara just shook her head as she studied her brother intensely.

Sokka looked…Katara wasn’t sure how he looked. She eyed him quizzically but he refused to meet her gaze.

“Evening, everyone,” he greeted sullenly. Katara’s face and stomach dropped. Had Suki said no? How, why? She’d always thought they were so in love. They were made for each other. By the spirits, they had made plans to _live_ together in the Fire Nation! How had it all gone so wrong?

For that matter, where _was_ Suki?

Iroh was the first to speak as everyone stared at Sokka in puzzlement. “Good evening,” he said amiably. “I think we could all use some tea, don’t you? Sokka, Katara, if you would be so kind as to assist me?” Katara immediately stood up to follow Iroh into the kitchen. She knew what he was doing – dragging Sokka away from the centre of attention. The anguish on his face was mounting, and Katara just wanted to pull him in for a big hug and tell him it was all going to be okay. And then corner Suki and give _her_ a big piece of her mind with no end of finger-pointing.

“No, that’s okay,” Sokka replied glumly. “I think we’ll all need something a little stronger. I hope you won’t take offence at this, Iroh, but tea just doesn’t seem quite fitting…” He trailed off and took in everyone’s concerned expressions.

He heard Suki’s footsteps echo down the hall behind him, and it took all of his resolve to keep going. It was time. The muscles in his face had been straining for the last few minutes, and the relief was instant as his features suddenly broke out into the wide, goofy grin that was as trademark of Sokka as his boomerang. “…for a betrothal party!” he announced as Suki finally entered the room behind him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and brought her into the light. And drew everyone’s attention to the gleaming green pendant she now wore proudly around her neck, and almost everyone gasped and broke out into equally wide smiles and loud cheers.

“Sokka, you-!” Katara shouted. She had been about to call him a bad curse word, a curse word she would rather not use in Kiyi’s presence. But she was also grinning. “You absolute jerk! You are in so much trouble!” Finally, she ran to him and after punching him playfully on the arm – because, seriously, who _did_ that?! Idiots who needed a punch on the arm to be reminded they were idiots, that was who – she enveloped him in a crushing hug. “I’m so happy for you!” she squealed, and then turned to Suki. The woman who would be her sister. “And you! I can’t believe you let him do this!” she accused teasingly.

“I gotta let him have some wins,” Suki winked, grinning back and accepting Katara’s embrace.

Everyone else began scrambling up from their various positions and moved over to the couple to congratulate them, hug them or shake their hands. Zuko wrapped Suki into a warm hug.

“Congratulations,” he told her as they pulled away. “This is truly great news. I’m really happy for you.”

“Thanks, Zuko,” she beamed at him.

“If you were looking to get married in the Fire Nation, I’d be honoured to host it,” Zuko offered, addressing both of them. Then before he knew what was happening, the newly-betrothed couple pounced on him and Zuko was swallowed up in one of those damnable group hugs his friends so fervently insisted on.

“Zuko!” Suki gushed. “We haven’t…really got that far yet, but that is an amazing offer!”

“I know!” Sokka agreed happily. “It’s not every day the _Fire Lord_ offers to plan your wedding for you is it, sweetie?” Zuko’s eyes widened, but before he could respond, they walked away, sniggering to themselves.

“I said host,” Zuko said desperately. “I said host! Not plan!” Oh spirits, had it come out wrong? Was he actually going to have to _plan_ their wedding for them now? He didn’t know the first thing about pulling weddings together, even if he didn’t already have enough on his plate. Toph snorted loudly with laughter. Zuko really was too easy to wind up sometimes.

“They’re messing with you, Grumble Lord,” she smirked.

“I dunno,” Katara quipped. “I wouldn’t put it past Sokka. Hope your calligraphy’s good, Zuko, because you’re gonna have a _lot_ of invitations to write.”

“I have to write them too?!”

Katara and Toph burst into fits of laughter. Zuko scowled at them and crossed his arms. Which just made Katara laugh harder, and Toph when she relayed to the earthbender that the great and honourable Fire Lord was just standing there and sulking. Zuko merely shook his head, before a smile cracked his own features. He supposed he would have to get used to it. Sokka wasn’t going to stop being Sokka just because he was ambassador. Or a married man…

Zuko wasn’t sure which one concerned him more.

As Toph also wandered away to chat with the happy couple, Katara pulled Zuko close, grinning sheepishly. “Sorry,” she smirked up at him. “It’s just so easy sometimes. I couldn’t help myself!” Zuko shook his head at her, but grinned. He liked that Katara was so playful now, unburdened, and full of the same bubbly confidence he had come to associate with her. Even if it did seem to be at his expense an unreasonable amount of the time.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get him back,” Zuko promised. “And _you_.” Katara raised her eyebrows, and leaned in closer.

“I’m not sure whether I should be worried or excited by that,” she whispered, her breath tickling his ear. Zuko felt a shiver run down his spine. “Can you give me a hint?” Zuko couldn’t. He himself wasn’t sure, if he was being honest.

“Just to be clear,” he began cautiously. “I _don’t_ have to write the invitations if they get married at the Palace?”

“No!” Katara laughed. “Honestly, I didn’t think you’d fall for that so well. I guess Toph and Sokka have been a bad influence, as your uncle would say.”

Since they had ended up not doing much talking after Zuko asked Katara on the date, they hadn’t yet discussed about whether to tell the rest of their party about their burgeoning relationship. And so both had silently agreed to play it safe and just not mention it until they’d had a chance to find out where the relationship was going first. It didn’t make sense to get everyone all riled up if their date turned out to be a disaster, or they simply realised they were better as friends. Not that Katara or Zuko expected either of those events to happen. The way she was feeling right now, Katara couldn’t imagine not wanting to kiss Zuko again after their date tomorrow. It was a bit more complicated for Zuko, given that he knew he was in love with her. No matter how tomorrow went. But it was still better this way, he decided. Iroh was the only other person who knew exactly how Zuko felt about Katara.

And then of course, with the news of Sokka and Suki’s betrothal, it would have just been tacky.

“Did you know?” Zuko asked her suddenly, thinking back to how jumpy Katara had been when Sokka first came into the room.

“Yeah. Sokka swore me to secrecy. You have no idea how hard it’s been not being able to tell anyone!”

“Actually, I get the feeling you’re pretty good at keeping things in,” he remarked.

“Is that a dig at how long it took me to tell you how I felt about you?” she asked accusingly.

“Technically you still haven’t…”

“Don’t push it!” Katara smirked. But she realised he was right. She hadn’t actually said the words, instead letting her actions speak for her. Whereas Zuko had. He’d said he was crazy about her. Katara hoped Zuko knew the feeling was mutual. And when he, the Fire Lord, offered to host her brother’s wedding, Katara honestly fell for him a little bit more. It made her sincerely regret that she and Zuko had spent most of the last four years apart. She had missed out on a lot of Zuko-time. “You know, it is unbelievably sweet of you to offer to host their wedding,” she commented, looking at him fondly.

“You’re all my oldest friends,” Zuko replied. “Besides, the advantage of being Fire Lord and having lots of servants is I wouldn’t have to lift a finger.” He smirked to show he was joking, and Katara laughed happily.

“I still expect to be waited on hand and foot when I come visit,” she reminded him.

“ _When_? That’s rather presumptuous, Master Katara,” he teased.

“Yeah, well, it’s presumptuous of _you_ to think you’re gonna get away with it, Fire Lord Zuko.” Without realising it, both of them had edged closer to each other. At that moment, Zuko wanted nothing more than to kiss her again. And he couldn’t help but feel relieved that he and Katara still shared their old banter. They were still friends, there was no awkwardness at all. For Zuko, everything had changed, and yet nothing had. Everything seemed to come so easily when he was with her. Zuko still had his moments, but as Katara had proved earlier, so did she.

“I could order the guards to keep you out?” he suggested.

“Yeah, cos _that’ll_ work. Or are you forgetting who won our spar earlier?”

“Do I need to remind you that I’m the Fire Lord?”

“Do I need to remind _you_ that I’m a master waterbender, the new ambassador’s sister, _and_ your best friend? The Kyoshi Warriors couldn't keep me out,” she grinned. Zuko absolutely was still her best friend, as far as Katara was concerned. That hadn’t changed just because they’d kissed. And judging by how relaxed Zuko was and how comfortably their typically ridiculous conversation was going, he felt the same. It made her feel much surer about tomorrow night.

“Well…then…I guess I don’t have a choice,” Zuko conceded, defeated.

“Nope!” Katara chirped happily, not being able to resist hugging him again. It was the closest she could safely get to expressing what she really wanted to do. But as they embraced, an idea struck her. “Hey, um, shall we go down to the beach and…get a fire started?”

“Why?” Zuko frowned in confusion.

“Sokka just got engaged. You seriously don’t think he’s going to demand a bonfire beach party?”

“Good point. Well, we may as well wait for everyone. I’ll go tell them.” Katara had to fight the urge to giggle. ‘Oh Zuko, you are so clueless sometimes,’ she thought with a warm heart.

“Zuko…” Katara said suggestively. “I was thinking we could go down and get it all set up together. _Alone_ ,” she emphasised quietly. A flash of realisation crossed Zuko’s features. And it sounded very much to Zuko like Master Katara was now trying to get _him_ alone in the dark.

Zuko had no problem with that.

“Oh…yeah, you’re probably right,” he agreed. “It wouldn’t be…fair to…make them all help.”

“Exactly! And you know, we only need one firebender.”

“Well, I am considered to be pretty good at it,” he smiled. “And what’s your role in this?”

“Uh…supervisor?” Zuko scowled jokingly at her, and both of them couldn’t help but chuckle at themselves.

Their plan set, Katara went to let Toph know they were going to go and set up for Sokka and Suki’s inevitable beach party, not realising that Toph had naturally just overheard their entire conversation. She had been mostly impressed with their performance thus far. No-one who didn’t already have suspicions would likely have guessed by their conversation that they weren’t just best friends ribbing each other. Until the end, that was.

“Mmhmm,” Toph mumbled cryptically. “Sure you won’t need any help down there?”

“No, we’ll be fine!” Katara answered, much too quickly and much too brightly. Toph fought to contain a smirk. “I’ll come get you all when we’re done.”

“You got it, Sugar Queen.” As Katara walked away, Toph giggled to herself and shook her head. The way these two idiots were behaving, she wouldn’t even _have_ a chance to confront them.

“What’s so funny?” Kiyi asked as she bounded up beside her.

“I’ll tell you when you’re older,” Toph replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clueless Zuko is clueless, but this is totally something I could imagine him doing in the show if it had focused more on his love life.
> 
> For anyone wondering, the beach Iroh suggested has bioluminescent algae in the water, which does exist in the real world. It's not something I've ever seen myself (at least, not this way - the closest I've come is glow worms) so if my description is off, sorry.
> 
> As I'm sure all of you have guessed, the next chapter will be their date. I will also go into a bit more detail about Katara's lack of dating experience from her relationship with Aang. How oh how will that go...? (I know how it will go because I'm the supreme overlord of 'Embers')
> 
> Until next time folks. No word on when I'm afraid, because working full-time sucks when all you want to do is sit and write fanfiction about your OTP.


	10. Next Moves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara and Suki discuss the future; Zuko seeks some last-minute advice from Iroh; Katara and Zuko go on their date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hola! Right, fair warning everybody, this is a longer chapter.
> 
> You may also wish to consider pre-booking an emergency dentist appointment before reading because this one gets rather tooth-rottingly fluffy places. I am rather unapologetic about this. With the year we've all had, I think we all need some escapism and light-hearted fluff sometimes. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

“This was such a great idea, Katara,” Suki smiled widely as they were seated. “I love this.”

“I’m glad you approve,” Katara beamed back at her. “It’s as close to tradition as I can get.” Suki and Katara were in an inviting and cosy teashop, supposedly the best on the island (at least, according to Iroh). Ever since Sokka had let Katara in on his plan to propose, Katara had been looking forward to this. She explained that it was customary in the Southern Water Tribe for the women of the groom’s family to welcome the bride to her soon-to-be-kin in an informal tea ceremony. It was a tradition that had dwindled significantly during the war, especially during the latter years once the waterbenders had all been carried off, and the Southern Water Tribe as a whole practically decimated. By that point, the Tribe’s main priority was simply surviving, although Katara could remember her mother telling her about her own tea ceremony – Gran-Gran had apparently been rather insistent on it. Her mother had told Katara she hadn’t had a clue what was going on at first, and was sure her future mother-in-law had some ulterior motive and half-expected Kanna to tell her that she wasn’t good enough for her son. Fortunately it hadn’t panned out like that, and Kya had laughed as she told Katara that she had never once admitted those fears to Gran-Gran. Katara had laughed with her. She had been eight at the time. She hadn’t known it would be one of the last times she and her mother would get to laugh together.

Despite that, it was still a fond memory for Katara. And, mostly because of that, she had been delighted to learn that that particular tradition was being steadily revived ever since the era of peace had landed. As the family’s matriarch, Kanna would almost certainly invite Suki to such a ceremony herself the next time she and Sokka found themselves in the South Pole, but Katara simply couldn’t resist treating her soon-to-be-sister to a preview. Until she had children of her own, she would only be able to do this once, after all. And she had it on good authority that the only better tea to be found on Ember Island was Iroh’s. Not that Iroh was biased, of course…

“I had no idea the Southern Water Tribe had such close ties with Ember Island,” Suki joked.

“Well, it was harder during the war,” Katara said breezily. “We used to wait until there were about ten betrothals and then ferry them all over at once. For logistical purposes, of course.”

“Of course,” Suki grinned, laughing. “It would just be silly to do it one at a time.”

“Exactly!” The two women looked at each other and broke out into laughter. “See, this is why you’re perfect for my brother,” Katara smiled. “Your sense of humour is just as bad as ours.”

“Honestly, I wouldn’t have been surprised if Sokka came out with that himself,” Suki agreed. “So do you know what’s good here?”

“According to Iroh, everything.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Suki glanced down at the menu, feeling spoilt for choice. Katara had assured Suki that this was her treat, as Sokka’s sister. Usually these ceremonies were for the groom’s family to get to know the bride ahead of the wedding, but of course that wasn’t necessary here. She had already known Suki for years and the two women had grown close. Suki was also the only one Katara regularly wrote to during their time apart, aside from Sokka. If Katara had felt inclined to write to any of her friends about what had happened with Aang whilst she had been in Ba Sing Se, she had a feeling she would have told Suki before her brother. As good friends as they were, she felt like she could have handled Suki’s disappointment. She wouldn’t have been able to handle Sokka’s.

Suki opted for a green tea and lavender blend, while Katara stuck with the jasmine tea she had grown so fond of while living with Iroh. They also both ordered a healthy selection of cream cakes to share. Just to test them out, of course. It was the only way to be certain that it really was the best teashop on the island.

“You know, part of me still can’t believe that I’m actually betrothed,” Suki mused as they sipped their drinks.

“I cannot tell you how excited I am,” Katara beamed at her. “Or Sokka, actually. I think his plans for the day are writing to just about everyone he knows.”

“I’m sure the Earth King will be delighted to hear it,” Suki giggled, Katara quickly joining in.

“I wouldn’t put it past him. I’ll bet Bosco even gets his own letter.”

“Sokka speaks Bear?” Suki asked innocently.

“No, but you’ve seen his handwriting. Bosco will probably understand it better than anyone else.” Suki and Katara both fell back into a bout of laughter, drawing stares from some of the establishment’s more ‘refined’ patrons, but neither of the women paid them any heed.

“Maybe I _won’t_ let Sokka write the invitations…” Suki said.

“It’s probably for the best if you want people turning up when they’re supposed to,” Katara quipped, causing both women to giggle once more. “I would suggest getting Zuko to do it, but I’ve already had to convince him he didn’t have to.”

“Why did he think he would?” Suki raised her eyebrows.

“That…may have been my fault,” Katara replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. Suki snorted. “I kinda told him it was his job if he hosted the wedding…”

“Katara!” Suki chided mockingly. “I think you’ve been spending too much time with your brother. He’s a bad influence on you.”

“That’s what I said,” Katara smirked.

“Ah, he’ll get over it,” Suki grinned. “You can’t help being hilarious, right?” The two of them chuckled and continued drinking their tea as they waited for the cream cakes to arrive. Suki regarded Katara thoughtfully, with a warm smile resting on her face. Katara _was_ different from the last time they had seen each other, there was no two ways about it. She was much happier than Suki thought she’d ever seen her before, even though the war had been over for four years. She laughed more, she unapologetically told jokes almost as bad as Sokka’s, and she just generally seemed so much more…uninhibited. Suki had never once worried for Katara during her relationship with Aang, not the least because Katara always gushed about him and what they got up to on their travels in her letters, and the two had always looked so immovably perfect for each other on the rare occasion they did get to see each other.

But there was no comparison to the Katara from then and the Katara sat in front of her now, and Suki began to wonder if she perhaps _should_ have been concerned. Aang was in no way cruel and unless the words came from Katara herself, Suki would adamantly refuse to believe that Aang hadn’t treated her with the utmost respect and kindness throughout. Nevertheless, it was clear that being free from that relationship had done Katara the world of good and Suki was honestly thrilled for her. It must have been extremely difficult in the beginning, especially as Katara had for some unfathomable reason believed that none of her friends would understand her having to use bloodbending. For Suki, it hadn’t been any kind of debate. Katara had done the right thing, pure and simple, and she had no reason to feel guilty, much less like a monster. The monsters were the firebenders who had attacked that village. And, if Suki was being honest, _Aang_ was the one who should feel guilty for making Katara feel like that. Suki had already decided she would tell Aang that in no uncertain terms the next time she saw him. Which could well be her wedding, she supposed. Even though Aang and Katara had broken up, she didn’t imagine Sokka wouldn’t want to invite him. He was one of Sokka’s oldest friends. He might have some big brother words for Aang himself, of course, but as far as Suki was aware, neither of them had stopped regarding Aang as their friend. Katara had made it clear that she didn’t expect anyone to choose sides, and had even expressed a wish to be friends with him again herself, when they were both ready.

“So how are your plans for the Fire Nation move going?” Katara asked interestedly. She knew that Suki planned to train up Fire Nation citizens to replace the Kyoshi Warriors as the Palace Guard, but she didn’t know the ins and outs of it. It had been a stroke of remarkable fortune that both she and Sokka had found themselves needing to relocate to the Fire Nation capital at the same time. The spirits themselves must have aligned the stars to allow that to happen, Katara thought.

“Pretty good,” Suki told her. “I’m not sure if I told you, but Ty Lee is completely on board and she’ll be staying here with me to help train the new recruits.”

“That’s so great, it’ll be good to have a partner on-side,” Katara remarked. “How long do you think it’ll take until they’re up and running?”

“It’s hard to say,” Suki sighed. “At least a year or two, I think. A lot of it depends on how long it takes just to find enough girls who would be interested in joining.”

“Do you think that’ll be hard?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure. Ty Lee would probably have a better idea than me about that. I mean, I guess part of me is counting on there being ex-soldiers who might be interested? Ty Lee seems to think so, and Zuko also suggested inviting men to join. It could help boost the numbers.”

“Ooh, that would be a first,” Katara nodded. “For the Kyoshi Warriors, I mean.”

“Right,” Suki agreed, although her smile faltered slightly. This didn’t escape Katara’s notice.

“How do you feel about that?” she asked softly.

“I don’t know,” Suki sighed honestly. “I mean, there’s nothing _wrong_ with men wanting to join, it’s just…not how things are done, you know? But then again, I’m guessing Avatar Kyoshi also never imagined the Warriors becoming the Palace Guard to the Fire Lord. If there are some men who want to be a part of it, who am I to say no? It would be like telling a girl she couldn’t join the Army just because she was a girl, and I would _never_ be okay with that.”

“Oh, I hear you there. I was so mad when we got to the Northern Water Tribe, and they refused to teach me just because _I_ was a girl.”

“Exactly! If some guy comes up to me and says he wants to learn our style and do his part for his country…I’d never have the heart to tell him ‘no’. It would actually be kind of amazing, when I think about it,” Suki admitted, brightening. “But it’s just…not custom. Which I know sounds stupid and petty, but-”

“Hey, I get it,” Katara assured her. “You should have seen me when Sokka and I went home for the first time after the war.” _That_ wasn’t a pleasant memory of home, and not just because of the rebels. A lot had changed in Katara’s absence. Logically, she knew that of course they would have done. The Tribe had been in dire need of rebuilding, in every sense. She just hadn’t expected it to be so much, or as different as it was.

She certainly hadn’t expected to be forced to accept a new stepmother… Katara and Malina were on significantly better terms now than when they had first met, but Katara didn’t consider them to be close. And she wasn’t sure they ever would be. Again, logically, Katara knew that it only made sense that her father would move on. And really, it was better for him that he had. He must have been very lonely. As terrible as the war had been, it gave him something to focus on, and because of his role in it, it had meant he was always surrounded by his comrades. A lot of that had probably fallen away since. Not that the surviving warriors didn’t still support each other, but Katara could appreciate that it wouldn’t have been the same. And her father certainly seemed much happier. But she hadn’t been able to completely silence the dark voice deep inside that sometimes whispered to her that this new marriage was a betrayal against her mother. She had tried talking about it with Aang once. He had dutifully listened to her and comforted her, but Katara could tell he didn’t _really_ understand why she was so upset.

“Sokka might have mentioned something,” Suki told her. “That must have been hard.”

“It sure wasn’t easy,” Katara agreed. She sighed. “I still don’t really think of it as ‘home’ anymore, though. But I don’t know, maybe I wouldn’t have done anyway. I changed a _lot_ when we were travelling.”

“That’s to be expected. I think I’d have been worried for you if you had stayed exactly the same, after everything that happened.”

“I guess you’re right,” Katara nodded. None of her friends were the same people they had been during the war (except for Toph, but Toph was as stubborn as her element so that was no surprise). She smirked teasingly at Suki. “When did you get so wise?”

Suki gasped in mock-outrage. “I will have you know that I was _always_ wise,” she joked. She pointed an accusing finger at Katara. “You just weren’t wise enough to appreciate it.”

“I stand corrected,” Katara laughed amiably. “Seriously, though, I completely understand why you’re not sure about men joining…but the fact that you’re going to let them anyway, if they want to, I think that’s what makes you a great leader,” Katara smiled warmly at her. “Whoever signs up is gonna be lucky to have you.”

“I don’t think _they’ll_ think so when we actually get to training,” Suki retorted, drawing an amused snort from Katara.

“Do you have a training ground yet?”

“Sort of. Zuko said there are some empty buildings we can use, and they should be big enough for everyone to sleep in as well, but we’ll get that all sorted when we get back to the capital. That’s “council stuff” apparently.” Suki sipped her tea, and took a bite out of one of the cream cakes which had arrived while they had been talking. She moaned and nodded in approval, and gestured for Katara to do the same. The cakes did not disappoint, the two women silently agreed. They would have to try a couple more each, though. Just to be absolutely sure. They had both decided amidst conspiratorial giggles that they would have to be thorough for when they reported back to Iroh.

“Anyway, what about you?” Suki asked. “What’s your next move?”

Her next move…Katara had been giving this a lot of thought lately. They only had a couple of weeks left on Ember Island at this point, and unless Katara planned on squatting in the house once they were all gone, she would have to make up her mind pretty soon. She had tentatively broached the topic with Iroh earlier that morning, and he had seemed genuinely delighted to hear that she might be going back with him. He told her he had meant it when he said she could stay as long as she wanted, even though it had already been two months by the time they had come to Ember Island. It lightened Katara’s heart to know that he seemed to value her company as much as she valued his.

And she should probably show her face at the South Pole again, especially now Sokka was engaged. When he took Suki back as his betrothed, there was bound to be a Tribe-wide celebration, and Katara would hate to not be a part of that. And she did miss her dad and Gran-Gran. If she _did_ decide to stay with Iroh long-term, she thought she might go to the South Pole first, and then make her way back up to Ba Sing Se from there. Iroh had had no problem with that, and assured her that her room would be waiting for her when she returned. Katara had been wanting to do some more travelling, and if she happened to take the scenic route back up to the sprawling Earth Kingdom capital, that would be the perfect opportunity. Travelling alone would be a new experience in and of itself.

But as much as Katara loved Iroh, and she did truly consider him to be her family now, she also knew in her heart of hearts that staying in Ba Sing Se wouldn’t be her first choice. She had no issue with the idea of settling down somewhere, that actually sounded rather pleasant after the last few years of being a nomad with Aang, but she also knew that Ba Sing Se wouldn’t feel like hers. It didn’t matter how fantastic Iroh was, nor even that she missed Jin, Ba Sing Se just wasn’t _home_. Sadly, neither was the South Pole, not anymore. She had blamed it on the changes and “development” it had undergone since the war had ended, but truthfully she couldn’t imagine going back there long-term and just sitting in a healing hut and waiting for those who were actually out _living_ to come to her for aid. Which she knew was what would happen, eventually. True, if she went back to live in the South Pole, she would have the chance to train the next generation of Southern waterbenders, but waterbender births were still a disturbingly rare phenomenon in the South. As things stood, she would only have two or three students of a suitable age for training at most. And if Katara was being brutally honest, she didn’t think that would be her first choice either. It was something that could tether her to the South Pole if she was already there, yes…but as guilty as she sometimes felt about it, it wasn’t enough to draw her back. She had questioned _why_ she wasn’t more excited about that prospect, multiple times, wondering if that just made her selfish, but she couldn’t ignore her heart. And her heart was telling her that the South Pole just wasn’t _it_ for her.

Lately, she had begun to accept that maybe that was okay. Maybe that just wasn’t her destiny. It wasn’t as if the new waterbenders wouldn’t have any teachers if she decided not to take up the mantle. It would mean they would be taught the Northern-style, yes, but that was also the only style that even Katara had had any formal training in. The rest she had either taught herself or simply adapted what she’d learned, save for the more brutal, almost desperate forms of waterbending Hama had passed on to her…

Katara couldn’t even say what she wanted in her heart of hearts. She had thus far managed to avoid thinking too much about it, becoming fully immersed in the vacation bubble. Her next move had been such a distant prospect when they had first arrived, but time was beginning to run out. She had been asked a few times before on this vacation what she was planning, but she had always brushed them off. But now, Katara believed, she needed to be upfront about it.

“That’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about,” Katara admitted.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I…I’m kind of struggling with it, to be honest. I mean, I guess I have a few choices but none of them really feel… _right_ , you know?”

“Oh, honey, I had no idea,” Suki sympathised, taking one of Katara’s hands in her own. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“It would be good to talk it over with someone,” Katara told her, smiling wearily. “But not right now. This is meant to be about you.”

“We’re going to be sisters, Katara, I want to help,” Suki assured her. “Tell me about your choices.”

“Wouldn’t you rather talk about the wedding?”

“We can do that anytime,” Suki said, waving her hand dismissively. “We don’t even know _where_ we’re going to do it yet. And Sokka and I both want to get settled first. With Sokka setting up the embassy and me recruiting, it’s gonna be a few months.”

“That makes sense,” Katara agreed. “Will you be in the capital for that?”

“No. Ty Lee and I talked about it, but we both decided it would be better if we went to them. Sending off posters by messenger hawk just seems so impersonal, and honestly, not safe for Zuko. It would be too easy for someone to slip through the cracks if we didn’t meet them first.” Katara nodded. “But if we’re both out there, it gives anyone who might be interested the chance to see what we’re about, and more importantly, it gives _us_ the chance to make sure no-one is signing up for the wrong reasons…” Suki finished darkly. Katara understood. With them replacing the Palace Guard, and all the privileges such a position gave them, it would be scarily easy for a would-be assassin to try their luck. Even if they got caught before training was completed, they would still have a decent amount of access to the Palace…and Zuko. Katara shuddered, and her heart pounded with worry just at the thought. But the way Suki was planning it, they would be able to vet them before they even came near the Palace.

“And,” Suki continued after a pause, “I would love to see more of the Fire Nation. I haven’t visited a lot of places outside of the capital and here.”

“It’s so beautiful,” Katara told her. “And even though they’re all the same country, everywhere just feels so _different_ to each other. You’re gonna love it.”

“Oh, of course, you guys travelled around during the war…” Suki recalled, trailing off. A thought had just occurred to her. A thought she liked the sound of very much and, she suspected, so would Katara. “Oh spirits, I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner! Katara, you should come with us!”

“Huh?”

“With me and Ty Lee!” Suki said excitedly. “You could help us with recruiting! You’re so good at that kind of thing.” Katara looked confused. “Did you or did you not single-handedly started a riot on that prison rig?” Realisation dawned on Katara’s face.

“Well, I didn’t really _do_ anything,” Katara said, trying to wave the compliment away. “It was the earthbenders-”

“Who wouldn’t have done anything if it wasn’t for you,” Suki reminded her. “You need to give yourself more credit, honey. And you know what, it doesn’t even matter. I, for one, would _love_ it if you were there with us. I know Ty Lee would be really excited to see you, too.”

“Well, I _have_ wanted to travel more,” Katara mused, quickly warming up to the idea. She couldn’t think of a single reason why not. For all the travelling she and Aang had done, they had stayed mostly within the Earth Kingdom. Before this vacation, Katara hadn’t even been to the Fire Nation since they had helped Zuko search for his mother. It was…kind of perfect. She would get to see more of the world, spend more time with her friends, and there was a large part of her that felt thrilled by the idea of being able to help with such an important mission.

“I can see you want to say ‘yes’,” Suki prompted her, grinning. Katara had never been great at hiding her emotions, and it was plain that the more Katara thought about it, the more excited she became.

“I actually really do,” Katara admitted. Outside of the reasons she had already considered, there was another very important reason, one that thrilled Katara’s heart and swaddled her chest with a warm, comfortable sensation – it would mean getting to stay closer to Zuko. Granted, while she was helping with recruiting she wouldn’t, but they’d at least be in the same country. Sending letters to each other would be a lot easier. And with Sokka as ambassador, she was sure she could find an excuse to hang around the capital for a while once they came back. Perhaps Suki could make use of her in training the new recruits. She had a sneaking suspicion that neither Sokka, Suki nor Zuko would mind that at all.

As nervous as Katara was about their date tonight, she was also really looking forward to it. She couldn’t wait to kiss him again. They had spent a bit longer than was reasonable ‘setting up the bonfire’ last night, she remembered with a smile. Katara had felt like she couldn’t get enough of him, could barely keep her hands (or lips) off him. Zuko was a _very_ good kisser, and the way he made her feel…it didn’t matter what he was doing. On top of the whirlwind of electrifying sensations that left her trembling when they kissed, he made her feel safe. Wanted, appreciated, _understood_. Zuko had fast become her best friend for a reason. Even if tonight didn’t work out the way she wanted it to, Katara would fight tooth and nail to make sure they didn’t lose their friendship. She was confident Zuko would do the same.

With all that in mind, what on earth was there that could make Katara decline?

“You know what, Suki,” Katara beamed at her, “I’m in. That sounds fantastic! Thank you so much!” She stood up and raced around the table to pull her into a tight hug. Suki wrapped her own arms around Katara, laughing lightly. “Do you need any help with planning?” Katara asked eagerly as she sat back down.

“Of course. I’m sure Zuko must have a map lying around somewhere in the house,” Suki nodded just as eagerly. “We could have a look tonight?”

“Oh!” Katara exclaimed, and suddenly found herself blushing furiously. “Um, actually, I…won’t be around tonight…”

“Ooh, what’s happening?”

“I kind of…have a date.”

“ _What_? Katara, that’s amazing! Good for you!” Suki gushed excitedly. “You kept that very quiet!”

“It only happened la-uh, recently!” Katara quickly corrected herself.

“Well, I think it’s great that you’re moving on,” Suki said proudly. And she meant it. She hadn’t exactly lost any sleep over the thought of Katara still potentially being hung up on Aang (though she knew that she wasn’t) but it was still heartening to hear that Katara was ready to put herself out there and try again. She deserved to find a good man who appreciated and accepted everything about her, including her ability to bloodbend. Toph had been absolutely right about that – Aang had seriously dropped the ball there. And Suki found herself feeling immensely pleased for Katara that she didn’t seem to feel like she was the one who had to pay the price.

“Thanks, Suki,” Katara smiled coyly. “To be honest, I am a little nervous about it. I’m not even sure what I’m gonna wear.”

“Don’t worry,” Suki drawled, her grin taking on an almost wolfish appearance. “I’m sure I can help you find something…”

****

It came as no surprise to either Iroh or Zuko that they both found themselves in the exact same position as they had just the day before. From almost the moment he had woken up that morning, Zuko’s heart felt like it was ready to burst in anticipation of tonight. Of his date. With _Katara_. As things stood, he was currently a mixture of very excited that he would get to show Katara just what she meant to him, and dreadfully anxious that she would hate all of it or he would badly mess it up in some way. It was the sort of thing that definitely required a conversation with a cup or five of tea with his uncle. Iroh had been more than happy to oblige.

Despite much nosy prodding from Iroh, Zuko had remained stoically quiet as to exactly what had happened between him and Katara the day before, only sharing that he had eventually plucked up the courage to ask her out, and she had said yes. Iroh had of course beamed at him when he heard the news, which in itself made Zuko feel a bit better.

“That all sounds wonderful, Zuko,” Iroh said happily as he poured them their third cup. “But I have to ask, why are you in here talking to an old man rather than getting everything in place for tonight?”

“I’m just so nervous!” Zuko despaired, slumping slightly. “I haven’t been on a date in so long, and…well, they didn’t exactly end great.” His first ever date, with Jin, had ended with Zuko fleeing after she had kissed him. His date with Mai had ended with Zuko in the fountain. Iroh knew both of thoe stories already, of course. There wasn’t much his nephew didn’t tell him, not anymore. He nodded in understanding.

“That wasn’t your fault, Zuko,” Iroh assured him gently.

“Well, maybe,” Zuko shrugged dismissively. That wasn’t the point. “I’m just not sure how I should act. Or what she’ll expect from me.”

“I fear I may be the wrong person to ask there – it’s been a while for me, too,” Iroh pointed out. He finished his tea and calmly regarded his nephew. “Just be yourself, Zuko. Dating isn’t about playing games and trying to impress someone with who you’re not. That never works. And don’t forget, she said yes to going to dinner with you. So you know she must like you too.” Zuko blushed slightly. He was definitely aware that Katara liked him too…or she had last night…but that wouldn’t have changed, right? Surely she would have said something if she’d realised it had all been a big mistake…

He sighed and shook himself. In his core, he’d known all of what Iroh had said already. Sometimes it just helped to hear it from someone else. “I know you’re right,” Zuko admitted softly. “I just…” He growled in frustration at himself. “This is ridiculous. I’m the Fire Lord! What is wrong with me?”

“ _Nothing_ is wrong with you, son,” Iroh replied warmly but firmly. “It’s only natural you would be nervous. Fire Lord or not, you’re still human. But what you need to remember is that Katara is _not_ Inari. She won’t just string you along for her own gain.”

“No, of course she wouldn’t,” Zuko agreed. “I know that. I guess I’m just more worried I’ll screw things up somehow.”

“I really don’t think you will,” Iroh said comfortingly. Then he grinned. “Just, if you want to give her a gift, perhaps make it a bit more meaningful than a coupon for tea.”

Zuko, who had just taken a sip of tea himself, spluttered in shock, and cringed at the memory. Iroh chuckled as Zuko wiped the tea from his face and groaned. If this was a harbinger of things to come tonight, he was doomed. But not as doomed as his uncle was about to be. One look at his face told Zuko he had just been trying to wind him up.

“That was your idea!” Zuko burst out.

“It was,” Iroh admitted, unable to suppress another chortle. Zuko scowled at him in response. “And besides, she seemed to appreciate it from what you told me.”

“Oh yeah, it was a completely magical evening after that,” Zuko muttered sarcastically.

“It was a difficult time, Zuko,” Iroh reminded him gently. “When you couldn’t even tell her who you really were, it can’t have been easy for you. You mustn’t blame yourself. No-one gets everything exactly right the first time, no matter who they are. What matters is that you do your best. If all else fails, just make sure you’re kind, charming and respectful. And I already know you won’t struggle with any of that.” Zuko reddened again at his words, but he had to admit, he did feel better. He always felt better after talks with Iroh. Despite his rough start in life, he knew he was truly blessed to have his uncle. He may not have been able to see it or appreciate it in his angry youth, but Iroh had always looked out for him and had always been there for him. Zuko was the man he was today because of Iroh, and he strove hard to make sure Iroh knew just how thankful Zuko was to have him in his life.

He did, however, respectfully decline Iroh’s offer to do his hair for him again.

****

Katara was beginning to deeply regret asking for Suki’s help getting ready for tonight. As soon as they got back to the house, Suki instantly latched on to her, and insisted they empty out Katara’s wardrobe for her to try everything on, and it had to meet Suki’s approval before Katara was allowed to wear it out. Suki was also relentlessly pestering her about who the ‘lucky guy’ was but Katara kept evasively changing the subject. That was all bad enough. It got worse when Suki roped Sokka into it.

The two of them were waiting in Katara’s room as she got changed behind a screen. The women had both decided that none of Katara’s Water Tribe outfits would do justice to a first date with a new beau, not when there were so many gorgeous Fire Nation outfits that suited Katara. Suki had even dug into her own collection, but due to the difference in their figures, they had quickly been dismissed. Suki was slender where Katara had curves, and nothing seemed to fit comfortably. Katara hadn’t yet tried out the dress she had made herself. The more she looked at it, the more she thought it was too formal. But nothing else seemed quite right.

She walked out in the latest ensemble thrown together by Suki, but neither of them were particularly enamoured with it. Sokka yawned loudly. He had been there for half an hour now. The only reason he was sticking around was because he was dying to know who was taking his little sister out.

“Come on, Katara, who is it?” he nagged incessantly as the latest outfit was rejected.

“I’m not telling you, Sokka,” Katara sighed irritably. “Honestly, I’m not even sure I’m going to make it tonight. Nothing works!”

“Stop worrying,” Suki chided her. “I’m sure he’ll think you’re beautiful no matter what you wear. This is about making _you_ feel fantastic, not him.” Katara nodded. Maybe she should just stick with her Water Tribe blues. She did feel very comfortable in them. And it wasn’t as if Zuko hadn’t seen her in them before. It wasn’t as if she had to hide her identity or her heritage.

“If my baby sister is going out on a date, I have a right to know who it’s with,” Sokka insisted.

“Oh do you now?” Katara retorted sceptically, hands on her hips.

“Absolutely. As your older brother it’s my job to make sure you’re safe…and to psych you out as much as possible before you meet the guy!” he joked. Katara and Suki both scowled at him.

“Don’t take any notice of this idiot,” Suki said to Katara.

“Hey! I’ll have you know-!” Sokka protested. But neither of them were listening.

“Katara, what is _this_?” Suki gasped as she held up the dress. “It’s beautiful! Where did you get this?”

“I, uh, made it,” Katara told her, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly. “I’m not sure if it’s right for tonight though.”

“Are you _kidding_ me?” Suki scoffed. “Try it on. Now.” It wasn’t a request. She pushed the dress into Katara’s arms and forcibly ushered her back behind the screen. When Katara emerged a few moments later, Suki almost let out a loud squeal.

The dress looked stunning on her. It was a cross between a cheongsam and the typical Water Tribe dress, but in the deep crimson of the Fire Nation. Where her blue dress was lined in white, this dress was lined in black, with flecks of gold sewn in to the fabric. The dress was held closed by the usual buttons just below her shoulder, as well as a burgundy ribbon wrapped tightly around Katara’s waist.

“Why on earth wouldn’t you wear that?” Suki asked incredulously as Katara slowly spun around for them.

“I don’t know. I guess I thought it was a little much?” But Suki was shaking her head.

“You have to wear that tonight!” Suki insisted. Katara opened her mouth to protest, but Suki wasn’t having it. “Nope, that is my final decision. This is the _only_ outfit that gets my approval, and you’re not allowed to go out without it. Sorry, Katara.”

“But what about-?”

“There is no right to an appeal,” Suki smirked. Katara couldn’t help but laugh. Perhaps Suki was right. She had been looking forward to showing it off.

“Can you just give us a _clue_?” Sokka whined, completely oblivious to the exchange that had just gone on between his sister and his betrothed. “Is it someone we know?”

“Uh, sure,” Katara said dismissively as she fiddled with the knot on the ribbon.

“Okay…is it Aang? Are you getting back together?” Both Katara and Suki shot Sokka looks of pure disbelief.

“Seriously, Sokka?” Suki glared at him.

“No you’re right, that’s insane, I’m sorry,” Sokka said quickly to Katara. She only shook her head at him. “Is it…hmm…oh, is it Haru?!”

“No, Sokka, it is not Haru,” Katara sighed. She couldn’t believe they were _still_ going on about it. Nothing had even happened between them! Sure, she’d thought he was cute but that was the extent of it.

Sokka continued guessing. “The Duke? Longshot? Um, oh, the Boulder! No, that’s stupid…oh my spirits, is it one of those guys from the swamp?!” Katara struggled to suppress a giggle at that.

“You’re right, it’s Tho,” she told him sarcastically. “I’ve been keeping him locked up in my room the entire time we’ve been here, that’s why you haven’t seen him at all.” Suki burst out laughing, while Sokka concentratedly studied Katara’s expression.

“Well, I don’t know! Um…is it someone on the island?”

“Obviously it is, Sokka, she wouldn’t be going on this date if he wasn’t!” Suki pointed out.

“You know what I mean!” Sokka protested. “Is this where we know him from?” Katara thought about that. Strictly speaking, no, it wasn’t. But it was here that she had really got to know Zuko. The Zuko she was going out with tonight. The Zuko she had been having more than a few secret fantasies about, some less tasteful than others. The Zuko who had grown into her best friend. Her silence more than confirmed Sokka’s theory. “Okay, that narrows it down. Ha! It’s Amorai, isn’t it?” Sokka joked, causing both he and Suki to collapse into a fit of giggles. Katara stayed silent. ‘Why not?’ she thought. He had _played_ Zuko after all. There was a slight connection there...

“Actually…it is Amorai,” she lied smoothly, bracing herself for their expressions. They didn’t disappoint her. Their jaws simultaneously dropped to the ground.

“ _What?!_ ” they cried in unison. Katara stifled a snigger. ‘Imagine if they knew the truth,’ she thought to herself.

“How?” Suki asked incredulously.

“We ran into each other a couple of days ago, and he asked me out. He seemed a lot more charming, so I thought why not?” Katara replied straight-faced. Suki and Sokka both shook their heads in disbelief. They didn’t even suspect that Katara was lying, but all the same they hadn’t seen this coming. Or perhaps they should have done. Katara had never been so outwardly flirtatious with anyone as she had with Amorai. Perhaps there had been a reason for that besides the drink. “Actually, that reminds me. He let me pick the restaurant. Which one did you two go to again?” Katara asked. Inside, she was beaming. This lie was perfect. She had been wracking her brains as to how get that information without giving everything away.

‘Amorai, you poor fool,’ she thought. If she ever ran into him again, she would have to thank him. Their ridiculous antics that night had provided the ideal cover story.

****

They had agreed to meet at the restaurant itself, so as to avoid the suspicion that would inevitably be raised if they left the house together. Zuko had vaguely mentioned to his family that he had to take care of some urgent Fire Nation business and not to expect him for dinner. That was also how he had got away with going out in more formal clothes than usual. Although Iroh winking at him while Zuko was on his way out hadn’t helped the situation.

He left before Katara, and decided he would just amble around the town for a bit first. It was a very small town, and he was cautiously optimistic that no-one would pay enough attention to recognise him. He wanted to keep it that way, for Katara’s sake more than anything. His heart was pounding even as he was just walking down the main street. He couldn’t believe this was happening. He had a _date_ , the first he had had since Ba Sing Se. And that had been a while ago. He took some comfort in the fact that Katara probably had more experience in that regard, and he could always stand back for her to lead.

He kept telling himself he was looking forward to it, he didn’t have anything to worry about, Katara wasn’t just a random girl. They wouldn’t have to go through the agonising, awkward process of ‘getting to know each other’. She was already his best friend. They could just enjoy their time together.

Or would Katara expect things to be different now that this was a date? What would she expect from him? Spirits, what did people even _do_ on dates again? Were they literally just for getting to know each other? So would this be an evening of long and awkward silences? Mind-Katara reared her vicious head again, and in the scene he pictured she was pointing at him and laughing for being so damnably awkward.

_‘Why did I ever agree to this?’ Mind-Katara jeered loudly. ‘You know what, you’re a freak. This is over. Don’t come near me again.’_

_‘But we’re best friends!’ Mind-Zuko protested pathetically._

_‘Ha! Like I would ever waste my time with you! You’re not worth even being my friend.’_

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Katara was _not_ Mind-Katara. Mind-Katara was a figment of his imagination, a cruel mistress dreamed up by his even crueller psyche. The Katara he loved was sweet, caring, intelligent, and fiercely loyal to the point that most of her softer qualities were blasted away when someone she cared about was hurt or threatened. Zuko knew that from personal experience. He was glad to be on the other side of that boundary now. He rubbed the back of his head nervously as he approached the restaurant. Katara had found him and confirmed which one it was after having spoken to Suki and Sokka. His Katara (not that Zuko thought of her as _his_ , just that she wasn’t Mind-Katara) had smiled widely at him and pulled him in for a hug before returning to her room to get ready. Zuko hoped she wasn’t just trying to avoid hurting his feelings…but surely if that was true, she wouldn’t have agreed to go out with him so enthusiastically. They were going to a public place – a place she had chosen – where there would be people around. ‘That _is_ the definition of a public place,’ Zuko berated himself.

“Zuko?” He snapped out of his thoughts, turned to face her, and promptly froze. He couldn’t help but gape in a very undignified, un-Fire Lord-like manner as he took her in. Katara had followed Suki’s rather forceful advice and ‘elected’ to wear the crimson dress Suki had fawned over. (Sokka, in typical older-brother fashion, hadn’t even noticed.) Her gorgeous chestnut-coloured hair flowed freely down her back and was neatly styled with a Fire Nation bun at the back of her head. He had seen her with her hair like that almost every day since they had arrived, but she looked so much more dazzling in this moment. “Are you okay?” she asked him, raising an eyebrow quizzically. Zuko realised he hadn’t said anything for several moments.

“Katara, you look…breathtaking.” She blushed and smiled shyly, averting her gaze.

“I’m glad you like it,” she told him. “You look pretty damn handsome yourself, Fire Lord Zuko.” Her face suddenly fell as she realised her mistake. “Sorry, I probably shouldn’t call you that here.”

“That’s probably for the best, but it’s okay,” he reassured her, and offered her his arm. She smiled in relief and rested her hand in the crook of his elbow and they walked into the restaurant, both of their hearts racing. Katara had a slightly better façade than Zuko, but her own nerves were engaging in a particularly acrobatic display of somersaults and flips. There was something she should probably tell Zuko now, she knew, to save (or at least explain) any awkwardness on her part for the evening.

No sooner than they had crossed the threshold of the restaurant, a woman who introduced herself as the owner greeted them and ushered them upstairs to a private dining space, where an intimate table for two had been set up by a window overlooking a small vegetable garden. After his earlier conversation with his uncle, Iroh had ventured into town and made the request on his behalf. Zuko hoped Katara didn’t mind. He hadn’t been recognised by too many people at the festival, but he didn’t want to risk anything disturbing their time together.

“I…hope it’s okay that we’re not eating with everyone else,” he ventured uncertainly.

“Of course,” Katara smiled. “I get it.” She wanted Zuko to be comfortable too. And if privacy helped him relax, Katara was more than happy to go along with that. She imagined that this was just one of the quirks of dating the Fire Lord. And as it hit her that she was indeed out on a date with the _Fire Lord_ , she fought to suppress a nervous giggle, but luckily Zuko didn’t seem to notice. Despite the number of times she had taken to calling him that, she still just thought of him as Zuko.

Zuko patted his pocket as they sat down. The box containing the hairpin he had bought for her at the festival was still there. He knew it would be, but he had an irrational fear he had left it behind or it had somehow managed to vault out during his walk here. He couldn’t logically explain why it had taken him this long to gift it to her. Tonight just seemed appropriate, given the situation.

After the waiter brought them their drinks and took their food order, Katara nervously regarded the firebender sat opposite her. He looked nervous too, she remarked. Hopefully her small confession wouldn’t make him feel more ill at ease.

“Zuko, I have something to tell you,” she began. Zuko nodded to show he was listening. “I’ve…never actually…been on a date before. So I’m not exactly sure what to expect.” Zuko started. This was Katara’s first ever date? How was that even possible?

“Wait, so you and Aang never…?” The words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them. He groaned internally. This was a good start.

“Not really,” Katara replied, completely unperturbed by the mention of her ex-boyfriend. “I mean, unless you count me cooking dinner for us both, or having parties with the air acolytes as dates.” That was…strangely comforting news for Zuko. If there was anything that Zuko knew he was capable of, it was stepping up when it was required of him. He could do this. He didn’t have much experience himself in this regard, but he had some. As long as Katara was happy, they could explore it together. He made a mental note to berate Aang when he next saw him though. He was liking the sound of the relationship he and Katara had shared less and less. What exactly had Aang ever done to make Katara feel special and cherished, rather than just a pretty, occasionally useful ornament at his side?

“Well, that’s okay,” Zuko told her, and smiled reassuringly at her. “To be honest, I haven’t been on many myself. And somehow both of them involved a demonstration of circus skills…” Katara laughed at his revelation. This was good. She felt calmer already. Perhaps all that time he had spent with Iroh had rubbed off on him more than he had realised.

“I have to ask, how is that possible?” she grinned. “I don’t know much about dating, but I didn’t think that was a regular part of it.”

“I’m told that it’s not,” Zuko confirmed, returning her grin. “It just seems to be a specialty of mine.”

Katara giggled again. “Well, we could always go three for three if you wanted?” she suggested teasingly. Zuko pretended to scowl at her, then shook his head, smiling. “Fair enough. But, if you don’t mind me asking…well, I guess I just thought you and Mai would have…” she trailed off. Should she be bringing up his ex-girlfriend on a date? Something within her told her she shouldn’t. But Zuko didn’t seem to mind.

“We never really went out,” he explained. “I barely left the Palace to be honest.” Katara nodded. “And, uh, I was a little worried they would end up like the first date I went on with Mai,” he joked.

“Oh, what happened?”

Zuko explained that his dinner with Mai had been a plot by Azula and Ty Lee, and that they had had the bad luck to bump into Jin. Mai had then decided to demonstrate her knife-throwing skills, and launched an icicle at a fish placed on Zuko’s head. Zuko had ended up falling into the fountain, which Mai had considered ‘payback’ from when they were children. As he told the story, the smile fell off Katara’s face and her expression slowly turned more and more troubled.

“She…threw an icicle at you?” Katara was shocked. Had Zuko been okay with that? Had Mai even asked him? He could have been seriously hurt! Granted, Mai was renowned for never missing her mark, but _still_. “That sounds kinda messed up, Zuko,” she said, her eyes full on concern. Zuko froze. Great. He had ruined it. Why hadn’t he just kept his mouth shut? “Were you okay?” she asked him, reaching out and taking one of his hands in hers.

“Yeah, I was fine,” he nodded, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Heh, I probably deserved it.”

“I don’t think you did,” she told him gently, squeezing back. “But I promise our date won’t end like that. Well, not the icicle part anyway. I’m less sure about the fountain. I am a waterbender after all…” She grinned mischievously at him. Zuko couldn’t help but return it. He could feel the tension in his shoulders dissipating. Katara had that effect on him.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure I pull you in with me,” he joked.

“Fire Lord Zuko!” Katara quietly gasped in mock-outrage. “Is that any way to treat a lady?”

“That depends on if the lady was the one who pushed me in,” Zuko countered. Katara laughed again.

“That’s a fair point,” she conceded. She thought for a moment. “Is it wrong that I actually think that sounds kinda fun?”

“Not wrong,” Zuko chuckled. “Just…very you.”

“Really?” she said in surprise. “Honestly, I never thought of myself as a fun person to be around.”

“Of course you are. Besides, think about who you’re talking to.”

“That’s crazy, I have a great time with you.”

“And I have a great time with you,” he smiled at her. “That’s what matters.”

“That’s…really sweet. Thank you, Zuko,” Katara said in a mixture of appreciation and surprise. She felt a surge of affection for Zuko pass through her again. But this one felt different, deeper. There was more to this sensation than simply affection. But Katara didn’t have time to dwell on it as their food arrived, and they both tucked in hungrily.

After they finished their meal, neither Katara nor Zuko had any inclination to return to the house. He couldn’t believe his luck at how well tonight was going. There had been no awkward silences, and Katara was just as affectionate as ever. He questioned why it had taken him so long to pluck up the courage to ask her.

In the back of Zuko’s mind, he knew there was another question he wanted to ask her, but he wasn’t sure if this was the right time. Katara really seemed to be enjoying herself, and he didn’t want to put any undue pressure on her and spoil the evening. No, he decided, it could wait.

They began to wander through the town together. As they walked, Zuko’s hand found Katara’s and he intertwined their fingers, sending a pleasant jolt through both of their stomachs. They had held hands plenty of times before, but now there was a tantalising whisper of potential behind this simple action. It _meant_ something. Katara squeezed his fingers affectionately as she broke out into a wide grin. For her, the leap they had made from friends to…whatever they were now felt so natural. Like it didn’t make sense for her to be doing this with anyone else. It was just right.

When Katara spotted the fountain in the centre of the main square, she nudged Zuko and raised her eyebrows suggestively. Zuko tried his best to scowl at her but it was impossible. That mischievous beam on her face was so endearing. It wasn’t something anyone had seen very often from Katara. He supposed it had been because, for the first time, Katara was free to just be free. As much as he admired how much she cared about people, he had seen first-hand that she could sometimes be too caring for her own good.

****

“This has been such a great night, Zuko,” Katara said softly as they lay side-by-side atop one of the cliffs a short while later. They had been on their way back to the house before becoming distracted by the night sky. There wasn’t a cloud in sight, and the stars twinkled mesmerisingly above them. They had accidentally taken to just lying back and gazing at the cosmos on one of their many walks with Iroh, and neither had been able to resist doing so again. Especially now that it was just the two of them...

“It really has,” he agreed. He squeezed her hand lovingly.

“I, uh, hope I didn’t make it too awkward at the beginning. When I said this was my first date.”

“Not at all,” he reassured her. “I’m glad you told me.”

Katara rolled onto her side to face him, and she sighed contentedly. Zuko really was incredible. She questioned how it had taken her so long to see it, to see the real him. But she quickly brushed that aside. She saw him now, and her feelings for him were only growing deeper and deeper with each passing day. Feeling blissful, she slowly inched towards him until she captured his lips with hers. She placed a hand on the back of his head and gently ran her fingers through his hair. In response, Zuko wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer as he deepened the kiss between them. Katara was beginning to feel the familiar sensation of desire that sparked each time she had given in to her fantasies. A fire was lit deep within her, and she couldn’t believe her luck that this wasn’t all in her head. This was real, it was actually happening. And, oh, she was so glad it was. Reality had a tendency to fall short of what she longed for in her heart, but not here, with Zuko.

“I, uh, got you something,” Zuko said when they pulled away. He sat up and reached into his pocket and presented her with the box he had kept cradled there all night. His heart began to pound in his head. He hoped she liked it. He hoped she didn’t get the wrong idea.

Sitting up herself, Katara took it from him curiously. “Zuko, you didn’t have to-”

“I just saw it and thought of you.”

Katara let out a small nervous laugh. She tentatively opened the box and gasped when she saw the hairpin. It was stunning, and blue topaz stone glinted exquisitely in the moonlight. “Zuko, I can’t…thank you! I love it. But you really didn’t have to get me anything,” Katara babbled. Zuko didn’t say anything. “But I said that already. Thank you so much. I actually got something for you, too, but it’s back at the house. I was going to give everyone a little something when we all left.”

“Give it to me then,” Zuko said earnestly. He took the pin from the box and motioned for Katara to turn around. He carefully placed it in her hair, and fastened it.

“What do you think?” she asked.

“It looks beautiful on you,” he assured her. She turned back around to face him. As he lost himself in the deep blue ocean of her eyes, the words just fell out of his mouth. “You look beautiful tonight. No, that’s not right.” Katara raised her eyebrows. “You _are_ beautiful.” He reached out and gently stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers, unable to resist touching her. Katara couldn’t help the near-silent purr at the gesture.

“You’re pretty damn beautiful yourself, Zuko,” she whispered. She wanted to kiss him again, badly. And that was exactly what she did. Her heart pounded as she drew close and pressed her lips tenderly against his. They wrapped their arms around each other, and Katara pulled herself flush against him, soaking up the warmth of his chest. She parted her lips slightly, an invitation. She moaned softly as his tongue brushed against hers, and the rest of the world fell away once more as they became lost in each other.

It may have been the first and only real date Katara had ever been on, but as she lay in bed later that night, happily reminiscing, she could confidently say that it was also liable to be the best. Zuko, for his part, _did_ confidently say to his uncle that it had been the best date he’d ever had. He had also asked Katara if she would like to go out with him on another date, and had been heartened that she had very excitedly agreed. He wasn’t often one to get so ahead of himself, especially in romance, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that this could be real. His feelings for her certainly were.

Katara realised as she was drifting off that she hadn’t gotten around to telling Zuko about her plans to stay in the Fire Nation for a while longer after their vacation. She chuckled lightly to herself. No matter. It just meant she still had that to look forward to. She couldn’t wait to see his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter done! Thank you so much to everyone who commented, left kudos and bookmarked the story.
> 
> Parts of Katara's reflecting on the South Pole was drawn from the 'North and South' comic. Zuko's first date with Mai was directly lifted from one of the other comics (it's either Tales of Team Avatar or The Lost Tales or something along those lines). I didn't want it to come across as just Mai-bashing, but that is literally what happened in the canon.
> 
> What with work and having two stories on the go, plus Christmas coming up for me, it's difficult to say when the next chapter will be up. I have every intention of uploading it before the New Year (the Western New Year, that is) and parts of it are already written, so fingers crossed! Until next time, lovelies!


	11. Bliss and Nostalgia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara and Zuko have a talk about the future of their newfound closeness; and the group enjoy a night under the stars for old times' sake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys. Wow...it's been nearly two months... I am so, SO sorry. I'm usually much more disciplined than this with my updates (or, at least I think I have been so far) and this is frankly shocking. It's partly my own fault, since I got caught up with my other story, but also, if I'm being completely honest, the state of the world right now and these constant bloody lockdowns has meant I found it quite difficult to get into the right mindset for writing fluff. That said, I am very happy with this chapter, and to make up for the long wait, it is longer than my usual chapters for 'Embers' and, uh, let's just say things get a bit "steamy" at one point (not that kind of steamy, this is rated "T" after all)!
> 
> Enjoy!

There was only just over a week left before their stay on Ember Island would be over, and for everyone, it felt like the ending was coming sooner than expected. It didn’t seem to dim anyone’s mood, however. Iroh was honestly anxious to get back to his tea shop, even if it would be without his ‘apprentice’. Toph, though she would never admit it to their faces, missed her lily-livers. Everyone knew this was code for ‘bossing people around’. Suki and Sokka were both looking forward to starting their new adventure together, even if it did mean – ironically – the preparation took them away from each other during their vacation. Sokka had written to Hakoda to confirm he accepted the position of ambassador, and had gone down to breakfast one morning to be greeted by an unfairly gleeful-looking Zuko together with a pile of ‘vital documents’ that Sokka ‘had to familiarise himself with’ before he returned to the Fire Nation capital to take up the job. Zuko’s somewhat sadistic pleasure at Sokka’s rude awakening was quickly tempered, however, by a startling amount of ‘urgent matters’ from his councillors which they had collectively decided to send all at once, including preparing for the arrival of Ambassador Sokka (a title which Sokka loved to flaunt in the faces of anyone who would listen). Because of that, there were some days the two holed themselves up in Zuko’s room to try and work in peace, as some of their work overlapped in any event.

Suki and Katara, for their part, had begun running training drills in the courtyard. As Katara had next to no experience with non-bending combat, this was a good opportunity to help Suki brush up on her teaching before she greeted her new recruits in the capital. Sometimes Kiyi ran in to join them for their warm-up exercises, but was always called back by her parents before any actual sparring began. Nothing Katara owned was really suitable for hand-to-hand combat, however, save for her Water Tribe garb. Suki suggested that they go shopping. They would probably all want matching uniforms for training anyway, so they decided to make a day of it, and came back with simple red tunics and black cropped trousers which was much more suitable for the Fire Nation heat. Much to Sokka’s chagrin, it was on a day he had promised to help Zuko with plans for the embassy. Fortunately, there was no need to build a new structure as there were still some vacant residences that had once belonged to honoured war generals in the vicinity of the Royal Palace and Zuko offered one for Sokka and the Southern Water Tribe to utilise as the embassy. He also offered a separate one to Suki, for propriety’s sake since they weren’t yet married, but Suki simply shot him a look that made it very clear it wouldn’t be needed.

As always, Sokka wilted when Suki modelled her new outfit. It took all of Zuko’s resolve not to wilt, too, when he saw Katara. He didn’t know why, but the sight of Katara in that simple outfit stirred something very…inappropriate in him. As gorgeous as she looked in blue, red just…suited her.

To Katara’s mind, the tunic was a bit too small. While it flowed nicely down Suki’s lithe form, the material clung to Katara’s more curvaceous figure, especially around her hips and they stuck out prominently from her slender waist. This wasn’t at all unusual within the Water Tribe, but Fire Nation women weren’t built like Water Tribe women, it seemed. But for all that the tunic was still very comfortable and she had plenty of room to move around during training. As far as Zuko was concerned, the tunic fit her perfectly.

“That…looks really good on you,” was all he was able to utter when he saw her, unable to stop himself from blushing furiously like a lovelorn teenager. “On both of you!” he added hurriedly as Suki stood by Katara. The questioning looks Suki and Sokka gave him did nothing to help his predicament, and he quickly fumbled around for an excuse to leave. But not before he caught one last look at Katara. She beamed at him happily, but beneath that he caught the edges of a slight smirk. Zuko knew then that he would have to try and catch her after she had finished training one afternoon. See if they could sneak off together, and he could let her know just how good he thought that outfit looked on her.

With Katara’s enthusiastic encouragement, Zuko had begun getting much bolder with his affections towards her. It wasn’t totally unknown for Zuko to just grab her and kiss her when she wasn’t expecting it, like she had done to him on a few occasions. In fact, it had been Katara who – after one particularly heated embrace – mentioned that if Zuko ever wanted to do that to her, it would only be ‘fair’. Zuko didn’t need telling twice. And he very much wanted to do it again.

Zuko remembered with a fond smile when Katara had told him she would be staying in the Fire Nation to help Suki. She had acted very coy about it at first. Seeing it as it was the morning after their first date, Zuko had been worried that she was going to tell him she regretted everything and wanted nothing more to do with him, not even as her friend.

They had been out for a walk, just the two of them, when Katara had turned him, her face wearing an unusually serious expression:

_“Zuko…” Katara began, fighting to keep the grin off her face. “I have something to tell you.”_

_Beside her, she felt Zuko stiffen, and his hand unconsciously grasped hers just a little bit tighter. Katara looked up at Zuko in concern, but before she could even open her mouth, Zuko spoke. “Is…this about last night?”_

_“No,” Katara assured him, smiling. “Don’t you worry about that. I had a great time! I hope you did, too.” As his system flooded with relief, Zuko could only smile back and nod in response. Katara beamed at him. “Well, that’s good,” she began enigmatically. “Because…I’m afraid you’re going to have to put up with me a little longer after the vacation.”_

_“Oh, is Master Katara finally gracing me with a visit?” Zuko smirked. “I’m honoured.”_

_“So you damn well should be!” Katara laughed, squeezing his hand affectionately. “No, actually, Suki invited me to help her recruit and train the new Warriors. And since we’ll be in the capital,_ obviously _I’ll have to give Sokka a hard time,” she smirked playfully. “And, maybe, come and see you? That is, of course, if the great Fire Lord Zuko can fit me in.”_

_“I…I’ll have to check my schedule.”_

Though Zuko thought he had done an admirable job of playing it cool (at first), inside, he had been utterly beside himself. He couldn’t believe it! Katara was staying! He had a good mind to give Suki a massive raise for making the suggestion because, really, it was perfect. Katara had something she wanted to do, that would give her a purpose, that would give her a name of her own making, not just as someone’s companion or waterbending teacher. She had confided in him a few times about how much that had irked her on occasion. True, he wouldn’t be able to see her while she was travelling around the Fire Nation, but he wouldn’t have been able to anyway when the vacation was over. Katara would either have struck out on her own, returned to Ba Sing Se with Uncle, or gone back to the South Pole. But if some of the towns they visited just happened to be in need of a Fire Lord pep talk for some reason, he was sure he could find an excuse to go along for a day or two. For the sake of his people, of course.

It had only taken a moment of Katara pouting at him before he had broken out into a wide grin of his own. Not able to help himself, he just lifted Katara up in his arms and made it clear to her just how beside himself he was about her news. It had left Katara gasping, and once he lowered her back onto the sand, she quickly spun him around and pushed him against the cliff wall to return the favour.

He hoped they could keep doing this when they all returned to the capital. Only he hoped that by then…he would be able to call Katara his girlfriend.

****

“You’re killing me here, Suki!” Katara panted as they finished another vigorous training session. Their training regime had started off with breathing exercises and forms, but with the improvement Katara had shown, Suki pressed her into actual combat quite early on. Suki was a fierce opponent, and on more than one occasion, Katara lost sight of what they were doing and instinctively used waterbending to defend herself. When that happened, Suki jokingly offered to chi-block her to make it more authentic. Katara respectfully declined.

Suki laughed kindly at her. “You’re really getting the hang of it, though,” she pointed out. “I wouldn’t be pushing you so hard if I didn’t think you could do it.”

Katara took a moment to answer as she gulped thirstily from her waterskin. Despite the thin fabric of her tunic, she was still drenched in sweat. She would need to bathe before dinner that evening. For now, she made do with tipping the waterskin up and pouring the contents over herself. She shuddered as the sudden cold covered her from head to toe, but it did feel a lot better.

“Any chance you could have a little less faith in me next time?” Katara groaned.

“Nope, sorry,” Suki retorted, grinning. “You coming to get changed?”

“Not yet,” Katara replied. “My muscles are killing me. I’m going to do a little yoga first.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Suki remarked. Her muscles felt fine and the stretches she had led Katara through after they finished sparring had been enough for her. But Katara had raised a good point. Katara was already in excellent shape of course, but non-bending combat was a different style from waterbending, and worked different muscles. It was certainly possible that some, or all, of the new recruits may experience the same struggle. An idea suddenly struck Suki. “Hey, you know, for as long as you stick around, maybe we could have yoga as part of training? You could lead us. If it helps you, I’m sure it’ll help the new recruits, too.” Katara nodded enthusiastically in agreement

“Definitely!” she said, bending into her first pose.

Satisfied, Suki went back inside. “Hey, Zuko,” she greeted as she passed him. Katara paused for a moment, but then smirked. It was only a matter of time before the firebender’s curiosity got the better of him, she supposed. She was surprised she hadn’t spotted him watching them before, but then again, Sokka had been taking up a lot of his time recently. Katara would have been jealous were it not for the attention and affection Zuko unfailingly lavished her with when they _did_ find themselves alone.

Katara could get up and go and greet him herself. She could do that…but it would be more fun to toy with him first, or at least give him a show. Let Zuko come to her if he wanted her. ‘Toph is a bad influence on me,’ she thought, smirking to herself as she shifted into another pose.

When she finished and turned to face him, she noticed that he was trembling slightly. He really did seem to find her irresistible at the moment. He himself was dressed in his own burgundy tunic with a dark brown vest lined with gold, and burgundy trousers with black boots. It was the same outfit she had gotten used to seeing him in during their travels and during their stay on Ember Island. She liked it as much on him as he seemed to like that tunic on her.

“Do you want to…go for a walk before dinner?” he asked as he approached.

“Sure,” Katara nodded. “Shall I get the others?” she teased.

“I…I meant just us.”

“Just us?” Katara gasped in mock outrage. “Fire Lord Zuko,” she drawled, “I hope you don’t have any _dishonourable_ intentions.” Zuko smirked at her. He knew this game by now. And he knew how she liked him to respond. He pulled her towards him and pressed his lips to her ear.

“Would it be a problem if I did?” he whispered. Katara purred despite herself and bit her lower lip. His words, and that hushed tone…it lit a small fire within her.

“Not at all,” she replied simply, pulling away from him and taking hold of his hand. She turned on her heel and ran off into the forest, giggling. Zuko eagerly kept pace with her. They had formed a habit of ‘going for walks in the forest’ when they wanted to be alone before everyone else had gone to bed. They still hadn’t told anyone what was going on between them. If Katara was being honest, part of her loved the secrecy and the sneaking around. She savoured the anticipation she felt when they were on the verge of being alone, and she loved making the most of any opportunity when she could finally give in to her desires. It was exhilarating. But, if she was going to be staying in the Fire Nation for the time being (and she had no intention of putting a stop to their newfound closeness, as long as Zuko wanted that, too), they would need to talk about it, she knew. And if they did decide to become more serious, it made more sense to tell the people they cared about before the vacation bubble burst and reality seeped back in, calling them to their respective duties. She imagined Sokka might faint from the initial shock of it, but he would get over it quickly. Toph probably knew already, because she was Toph, and she couldn’t imagine Suki being anything other than happy for them. It was Zuko’s family she was most nervous about breaking the news to, to be honest. If there was any news to break, that was.

Katara turned to face him as they came to a stop, and Zuko was on her in an instant. He cupped her face with his hands and his lips came crashing down on hers in a stroke of passion that ignited another fire within Katara. She placed her hands on his waist and slowly led Zuko backwards, guiding them towards a tree. He took the hint, and pressed her up against it, which elicited a deep moan from her. She bit her lip again as she broke the kiss and stared into his amber eyes. They looked…hungry and full of desire. Hungry for her. Desire…for her. It was too much for Katara. She brought her hands up to his neck and pulled him back down as his hands started roaming her upper body. He brushed his tongue against her lower lip, and as she let him in, she heard him groan. He pressed her more firmly against the tree, pinning her with his body. It stoked the already intense heat within her, and in response she lifted a leg and hooked it around his waist. Zuko groaned against her lips. Did she have any _idea_ what she did to him?

He moved away from her lips and began kissing her tenderly along her jawline. He could hear Katara’s breathing quicken, and, encouraged, he went lower and planted kisses along her neck. Katara gasped as the fire within her flickered and began burning more brightly. She didn’t want him to stop at her neck. She didn’t want him to stop at all.

But she knew he wouldn’t go further. Zuko was a perfect gentleman in that sense, and he wouldn’t go any further than what she explicitly made clear to him was okay.

His hand teased her hip and began sliding back up her body. In tandem, he moved away from her neck, much to Katara’s disappointment, but this quickly dissipated when he captured her lips with his again. She felt his hand stop halfway up, just to the side of her chest. He was asking for permission, she knew. She broke their kiss again. The almost wild look in her eyes confirmed just how much she wanted him to. She nodded at him as she bit her lip again. A loud gasp sounded from her lips as he cupper her breast, massaging it gently and swiping his thumb over her nipple through her tunic, and the fire within Katara turned up the heat once more.

His touch left her breathless. What was he _doing_ to her? She wasn’t sure if she was completely ready to be intimate with Zuko, but she did presently harbour an irrational resentment for the layers of fabric that lay between them. The last time she had been intimate with anyone, she had been drinking before they stumbled back to his rooms. She had wanted it, she remembered – Larnak had done nothing to make her feel pressured and she had willingly gone with him (she might have led him, now that she thought about it). Katara didn’t regret the experience, but she did learn that casual, uninvolved encounters really weren’t her thing. It had been easier with Larnak because he had just been a handsome man who reminded her of home. She hadn’t seen him again after hastily dressing and returning to The Jasmine Dragon the morning after, and that had suited both of them just fine. But Zuko was different. She liked Zuko, a lot, and she really cared about him. Even before they had started sharing these secret moments of bliss, she knew she cared for him and wanted to be with him more than just as her best friend. Casual and uninvolved was _not_ how she ever wanted to think of Zuko. She was confident that Zuko felt the same…but reality didn’t always grant their heart’s desires.

It was agony when Zuko finally pulled away. She leaned back against the tree, her legs trembling slightly.

“Why would you do that to me…right before dinner?” Katara panted. He chuckled.

“Maybe I just wanted you to know how you make me feel all the time,” he teased. Her ensuing laugh was full of mirth. Part of her still couldn’t believe this was all happening. But by the spirits, she was glad it was. He evoked something just as primal and lustful in her as she did in him, and it was delicious.

But what was so good about their whatever-this-was was that they were still best friends. In company, they could talk and muse and debate just as they used to. Sometimes even when they were alone, they did nothing but snuggle up together and enjoy those same deep conversations as when everything had been strictly platonic between them. Cuddling up to Zuko had fast become one of Katara’s favourite pastimes to while away a quiet evening. Especially when they were outside. The moment a cool breeze wafted over them and Katara shivered, he would wrap his arms around her and pull her flush against his chest. Being a firebender, he was always so _warm_. If they ever went to the South Pole together again, Katara had a feeling she wouldn’t need the furs that typically lined their beds if she had Zuko with her. The thought of lying next to him and falling asleep in each other’s arms…it overwhelmed her a bit. A rush of emotion flooded through her without warning and she tugged him towards her. Their arms instinctively closed around each other and she nuzzled into his chest, breathing in his scent with a contented sigh. Katara loved that she got to do that. She loved all of it. Zuko was…incredible. He was an incredible kisser, he gave incredible hugs, could hold fantastic conversation when it was just the two of them and she couldn’t remember the last time she had just sat back and _laughed_ so much and so freely. She knew that not all of her current state of peacefulness should be attributed to Zuko, but damn he just made it so easy! She just hoped that…they could be together. Zuko wasn’t the type to just lure someone in for a fling only to then discard them later, she felt safe in that, but…

Was that going to be a problem? Zuko wasn’t just a man from the Fire Nation fooling around with an exotic Water Tribeswoman. He was the _Fire Lord_. Would his people even accept Zuko courting someone from outside of their country? Weren’t there certain expectations of him? She doubted taking on a foreigner as his Fire Lady (not that they were even _thinking_ about marriage yet, but still) would be part of it… But surely not. Zuko _must_ have thought about this. Zuko had a tendency to overthink everything, after all. He must have already considered that and assessed that it wouldn’t be a barrier to them being together.

But this was why they needed to talk. So Katara, and Zuko, could be certain what _this_ was and where they wanted to go with it.

Zuko, meanwhile, was also steeling himself. He loved what they were doing, too, he really did…but he didn’t want to just fool around. Katara meant more to him than that. He hoped she knew that. He wanted to be with Katara, and not just in secret, as invigorating as that was. It felt so naughty and very un-Fire Lord-like. It was something he had missed out on when he was in his teenage years, and the thought that he was doing something he shouldn’t spurred him on at times. But Zuko’s feelings for the woman in front of him had never just been physical. There had always been more to it. He was in love with her. He loved Katara and everything about her with all of his heart. And he wanted to be able to show her that with something other than stolen kisses, as wonderful as they felt.

He took a deep breath and reluctantly pulled away from her. “Katara?” he said shyly, just as Katara uttered his name equally shyly. They grinned at each other, and Zuko gestured for her to go first.

“I…um…” Katara stammered uncertainly. She really wasn’t sure what to actually _say_ , now that the moment was here. Unlike when she had been ready to confess her initial feelings for Zuko, she didn’t have a speech planned. It wasn’t something she had been obsessing over constantly, it had just been a seed of doubt niggling at the back of her mind, growing louder and more demanding of her attention as the vacation’s end grew ever larger in their sights. They only had a week left now. Zuko had seemed _very_ happy when he’d found out she would be staying in the Fire Nation for a while, but then again, he had spent the last four years being, sadly, isolated from his friends (other than Suki’s rotation, of course) because they had all drifted off to fulfil their own duties and begin rebuilding the world. Now said duties happened to be bringing most of them a lot closer together. Of _course_ he had been excited. She was his best friend, too. And that was fine. No matter how this conversation went, Katara’s feelings in that respect wouldn’t change. She wouldn’t let them. She would still be there for him, whether he needed someone to water-whip his councillors into shape or he just wanted someone to talk to.

She looked up at him and nodded resolutely to herself. She could do this. She had helped end a _war_ , for spirits’ sake! She could tell a man that she wanted to be with him. “We still haven’t…really talked about what this all means,” she ventured. Zuko nodded in agreement. Strangely, he considered, this was what he had wanted to bring up as well. “And, well, I know what _I_ want, but…” she trailed off. She just had to come out and say it, she told herself, and then it all spilled out of her in a rush. “I can’t do casual, Zuko. I’m sorry, but I can’t. It’s just not me and if all this can be is a fling, then I think we should stop now. Before either of us gets hurt.”

Zuko blinked in surprise, and he withdrew his arms from her waist to instead take a gentle hold of her hands. Was that what she wanted? Did she want to stop? A sharp, painful pang echoed across his chest just at the thought. But if that was what she wanted, he had to respect it…but why on earth would she think that this was just casual? Had he not been clear enough?

“Why would you think this has to just be a fling?” he asked her quietly.

“Well, you know, you’re the Fire Lord,” Katara replied. “I’m sure there’s probably some tradition against you marrying someone like me – uh, _not_ that I’m suggesting you’ll even _want_ to but…ugh, damn I really screwed this up,” she berated herself, running a hand down her face.

“You think me being Fire Lord means I wouldn’t want to be with you?”

“I’m not saying you wouldn’t _want_ to,” Katara clarified. “Just that…you know. I’m not Fire Nation, I’m not even a noble.”

“Katara…you said it yourself,” Zuko told her gently. “I’m the Fire Lord. I can be with whoever I choose to be. Even my councillors don’t get to make that decision for me.” He sighed softly. “And even if there _was_ a law like that, it would have come from my great-grandfather. It was thanks to him that the world burned for over a century – I’m not going to pay any attention to what he wanted for the future.” He said it lightly, almost smiling, and Katara could see he had a point. She smiled back up at him, a pleasant sensation of hope pooling around her heart. “What matters is what we want,” he assured her. Katara nodded in understanding.

“And…what is it that you do want?” she asked him nervously.

“I…well, I really care about you,” he began, realising that the spotlight had now flipped onto him. Right, now he had to find a way to actually say words to express how he felt. He didn’t feel that was his strong suit, even around Katara…but he could do this. He may never be able to compose an epic poem declaring his undying yearning for his one true love that would be passed down through the centuries like in romance scrolls, but he could tell this woman how he felt and speak from the heart.

Katara smiled up at him, and gave his hands a reassuring squeeze. “I really care about you, too,” she told him.

Zuko couldn’t help the adorably shy smile that graced his features. “Good,” he muttered. “I mean, thanks! I mean…” he groaned. Katara couldn’t help but giggle at him. “I’m being a dork again, aren’t I?” he sighed.

“A little,” Katara nodded. “But I think it’s cute.”

Zuko frowned. “I’m not sure if I like you calling me cute.”

Katara raised her eyebrows. “Then stop being so damn cute,” she said pointedly. Zuko attempted to scowl at her, but soon wilted as Katara leaned in and pressed her lips to his scarred cheek. Zuko sighed at himself. Fire Lords weren’t supposed to _wilt_. Fire Lords were supposed to remain stoic and composed at all times, even if the woman they loved did know just what to do to make them feel better. He decisively blamed Sokka for this reaction. He had clearly spent too much time around the Water Tribesman, who was well-known throughout their friendship group for being reduced to a puddle any time Suki so much as looked at him. But in his heart, Zuko didn’t mind. Katara just had that effect on him, and it was just another thing he loved about her.

“I know what I want, too, Katara. There is no pressure and you can absolutely say no. But I just wanted to ask.” Katara nodded, prompting him to continue. “How would you feel if…I…started calling you my, uh…girlfriend?” He murmured the last word so quietly that Katara strained to hear him. Had…had he just said what she thought he had?

“You want me to be your girlfriend?” she asked.

Zuko nodded nervously. “That would be a much more concise way of saying it, yes.” Katara giggled at his words, and threw her arms around his neck.

“Oh, thank the spirits!” she sighed into his shoulder. “I…I want that, too. But Zuko, I just have to check – I know you said you’re allowed to choose, but are you _sure_ me being your girlfriend won’t just create a whole mess of problems for you?”

“Yes,” he said kindly. “This is what I want and, as long as it’s what you want too, I really can’t see any issues with us being together. I _have_ thought this through, Katara. I promise.” Katara smirked knowingly back at him, thinking of Iroh’s many, _many_ anecdotes of when Zuko had done the exact opposite and only wound up more bitter and frustrated when it didn’t go the way he wanted it to. As if he read her mind, Zuko sighed. “You shouldn’t believe everything my uncle tells you, you know.” Katara couldn’t help but giggle at that.

“Oh really? I seem to recall being told that someone thought it would be a good idea to hide a freaking _sky bison_ in an apartment in the Lower Ring,” she pointed out, barely able to conceal her laughter. “Now, remind who that was…I forget…” Zuko scowled playfully at her, but on the other hand, he was relieved she could bring his past up so casually. He had apologised wholeheartedly for everything he had done, and he understood that the people he was proud to be able to call his friends had somehow forgiven him for all of it, but it still brought a bitter taste into his mouth to think about it. But Katara didn’t seem to be concerned with that. For her, it was done. For her, it was just a good way to prove her point that Zuko, for all of his determination, hadn’t been the best strategist in the past.

“Yeah,” Zuko sighed, unable to deny it. “Uncle told me _very_ clearly I couldn’t keep him."

“Probably a wise decision.”

“Hey, we had a courtyard,” Zuko shrugged. “And I would have gotten him some hay.”

“Well then I really will be lucky to have such a kind, thoughtful and merciful boyfriend,” Katara smiled at him. Zuko grinned smugly back at her. “Yeah, yeah, don’t let it get to your head.”

“I already have a crown, Katara. It’s too late for that.” Katara burst out laughing at that. The sound made Zuko feel warm inside. He liked it when she laughed. True, it was once again at his expense, but at least this time it had been his intention! But then he realised the full implications of what she’d just said… “Wait…does this mean-?”

“Yes,” Katara grinned at him, “I would love to be your girlfriend.” Zuko smiled back down at her as an overwhelming burst of happiness surged through him. Katara leaned up as he leaned down, moving her hands to cradle his face as he settled his on her hips, and they pressed their lips back together, firmly yet tenderly. Zuko’s hands quickly moved to her back and gently nudged her closer, holding her tight as she deepened the kiss between them. Spirits…how had he gotten so lucky? Who had he appeased to find himself right here, right now, with this breathtaking woman wanting _him_ as much as he wanted her?

As they pulled away, Katara added, “Just so you know…even if we couldn’t be together, you’d still be my best friend,” she assured him, before smirking. “You wouldn’t have been able to get rid of me that easily.”

“Damn. I’ll have to try harder,” he joked. Katara snorted.

“I hope you’re not going to turn into an ungracious host, Fire Lord Zuko,” she teased, nipping his lower lip gently. “Or I’ll be forced to make a complaint to my ambassador.”

“Well, Master Katara,” he smirked back, “technically he’s not ambassador for another week. So…your move.” He looked down at her, grinning as Katara pouted in response. He had her there, she knew. “Besides, since when did Master Katara need someone to fight her battles for her?”

Katara nodded thoughtfully. “You make an excellent point, Fire Lord Zuko,” she conceded. “I can always kick your ass myself, you’re right.”

“And we’re back to threatening the Fire Lord…”

“ _Actually_ , I think you’ll find I’m threatening my boyfriend,” Katara giggled, trying and failing to sound reproachful. “He just happens to be the Fire Lord.”

Zuko frowned in confusion. “I’m really not sure that makes it better…”

“Yeah, well, you’re stuck with me now. Deal with it.” Before Zuko could think up a witty retort, Katara leaned in and captured his lips once more, and any desire he may have had to have the last word instantly faded. He was indeed “stuck” with her now, after all. And if this was _her_ way of dealing with it, Zuko was more than happy to play along.

****

The next day was a day everyone in their friendship group was very excited about. Seeing as the vacation was almost over, and they had already enjoyed more than a healthy heaping of nostalgia by all being together again for a few weeks, it was only a matter of time before someone suggested camping out under the stars for a night, ‘just like old times’. It didn’t surprise anyone that Sokka was the one to bring it up first. None of them had tents with them, but that was the great thing about having an earthbender in their group, and Toph had heartily agreed to construct them all earth-tents for the night. They also agreed to bring out the pillows and blankets from their own beds, and there was more than enough tarp left over from the renovations for them to use as ground mats.

Katara in particular had felt a huge wave of excitement crest over her when Sokka had first floated the idea to their group. Despite the circumstances at the time, travelling around with her brother and Aang, then later Toph, Zuko and Suki had been some of the best months of Katara’s life. They had been filled with such excitement and adventure, and there were times where it was so easy to forget that their quest was ultimately about stopping a tyrant from burning down the entire world, all because of the company they had kept. True, there had been teething problems with both Toph and Zuko, but Katara couldn’t imagine life without either of them in it now. Sokka, for all of his bluster and atrocious jokes, was noticeably different when he had someone like Toph around to bounce banter off, and Katara had grown extraordinarily fond of Toph since Ba Sing Se, when Toph had first allowed herself a moment of vulnerability around Katara. The older girl at the time had felt oddly pleased that she and Toph had reached such a stage in their friendship, and proud that she and Toph had worked together to show those snobby Upper Ring girls up. And Zuko was just Zuko, which Katara admitted she had been too stubborn to appreciate at first. Like Katara, he was more of a ‘responsible’ one in their group and it had at times felt like he was the only one she could count on to back her up when talking Sokka down from terrible ideas or getting Aang to focus on his training.

As they were packing, Zuko couldn’t begin to fathom why he had agreed to this. It was at Katara’s insistence that Zuko said he would join as well, assuring him that he didn’t have to drink anything he didn’t want to, they just wanted him around.

“You mean so I can babysit?” he had smirked, which set off a round of sniggers from his friends. He had then sighed dramatically. “Why can’t I say no to you?” he groaned, pretending to sulk, but no-one bought it for a moment.

“Aww, I had no idea you felt that way about me!” Sokka had gushed jokingly, slapping an arm around Zuko’s shoulders. “I mean, I know I can be very charming and persuasive, but-”

“I was actually talking to your sister, Sokka,” Zuko had pointed out drily, to more laughter from his friends and much pouting from Sokka.

To Katara’s credit, she had smiled so delightfully at him when Zuko caved, that he couldn’t help but return it. She had pulled him into a tight hug (and _only_ a hug since they were in the presence of their friends at the time) and promised that she would look after him. Zuko was sceptical that _he_ was the one who would need looking after but refrained from saying it. He had seen Katara under the influence of liquor once before (though according to Suki and Sokka, he had seen relatively-composed Katara, compared to the tavern at least).

“I _told_ you tarp had different uses!” Sokka boasted triumphantly to Katara as she packed them. She rolled her eyes at him.

“I never said they didn’t, Sokka,” she reminded him.

“Nuh-uh, not true. You said it was stupid!”

“It _is_ stupid to use them as a blanket when you’re camping normally,” Katara said. “But, we’ll have earth-tents so it’ll be fine even if it does rain.”

“It won’t rain,” Sokka said confidently, eyeing the deep blue and cloudless sky.

“At least if it does, we have a firebender now,” Toph added. Katara and Sokka couldn’t argue with that.

Once everything was packed, including a few bottles of firewine they had raided from Zuko’s drinks cabinet, they set off together through the forest. They were waved off by Iroh, who just shook his head at the ‘young ones’. Though he wasn’t judging – he imagined that if he was their age and this opportunity had come up, he would have jumped at it.

It was late-afternoon by the time they had finished setting up their camp for the night. Suki and Sokka decided that it took two of them to gather the firewood and they ran off into the forest together, giggling loudly, completely oblivious to the knowing stares of their companions.

“Subtle,” Toph remarked casually. Katara and Zuko both nodded wordlessly in response. As promised, Toph bent them all earth tents and Katara and Zuko set to work laying the tarps, blankets and pillows in each one. Sokka and Suki of course shared a tent, and Toph, Katara and Zuko each had their own, on the other side of the firepit from the young lovers. Toph made sure of that. Once her part was done, Toph bent herself a long, flat rock with a raised back and collapsed contentedly onto it, folding her arms up behind her head.

Zuko, though, was being unusually quiet as he finished off his task. Katara suspected she knew why. Now that they were officially a couple (another wave of excitement swept over her at the thought) came the part where they told everyone else. They had decided to tell their friends first. Zuko had nervously admitted his uncle already knew parts of it, having heard them from Zuko himself. Katara hadn’t minded in the least, and truthfully, she was glad that one member of his family already knew and (seemingly) approved. It was his mother she was worried about. She had gotten along with Ursa absolutely fine throughout their trip, but there was a difference between being introduced as Zuko’s friend and being introduced as her only son’s girlfriend. Her son who also happened to be the ruler of his nation…though there may ultimately turn out to be no need for Katara to fear, she nonetheless felt a weight of worry settle on her chest when she thought about it. Zuko had done his best to soothe and reassure her and pointed out that he was just as terrified about telling her father and grandmother. It was part of the reason they would tell their friends first. They were certain none of them would react badly to the news, and they saw it as test run of sorts.

“Toph, Zuko and I are just gonna get some water for tonight,” Katara suddenly announced. Zuko’s head snapped up in surprise. He frowned questioningly at Katara, but she only nodded at him pointedly before turning her attention back to Toph. “Will you be okay?”

“I’m sure I’ll manage,” Toph replied, her eyes closed. As her other two friends walked away, she snorted. “Like I said,” she muttered to herself, “subtle.”

****

“I didn’t think you’d need my help with the water,” Zuko voiced aloud, confused even as he walked hand in hand with Katara down to the small pond that they knew lay a short distance away from their camp.

“I don’t,” Katara replied breezily. “That was just a clever ruse to get you alone,” she smirked.

“You do realise we’re actually going to have to get water now?”

“Oh gee, I wonder how a waterbender will deal with that,” Katara laughed, stopping and wrapping her arms around his waist. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” she told him, smiling as they held each other like it was the most natural thing in the world. It certainly felt like it. “You’ve been a little quiet.”

“I’m always quiet,” Zuko pointed out.

“True, but I also think maybe you’re a little nervous?” Katara replied. “Zuko…if you’re not ready to tell them, we can wait.”

“Katara, you’re my girlfriend,” Zuko assured her firmly. “Believe me, I want everyone to know. I’m just a little…”

“Nervous?” Katara repeated. Zuko nodded sheepishly. “That’s okay. I get it, honey, I really do. You know I’m terrified about how your mother will take the news…”

“Katara, my mother adores you. Trust me, she’ll be fine.”

“And Sokka adores _you_ ,” Katara smiled. “Don’t get me wrong, he’ll probably pretend to be mad and do a whole big brother spiel, but you don’t need to take any notice of that.”

“And if Sokka is actually mad?”

“Then I’ll tell him to stop being such an idiot,” Katara promised. “And which do you think is likely to be scarier – me or Sokka?”

Zuko didn’t even need to _think_ about that one. “Definitely you.”

“Is the correct answer,” Katara giggled. “Despite popular opinion, I’m not all sweetness and light.”

“Believe me, I know.”

“Hey!” Katara tapped him playfully on the shoulder.

“I was just agreeing with you,” Zuko retorted innocently. Katara shook her head at him, still giggling. Well, she couldn’t argue with that, she supposed. It wasn’t as if she was genuinely upset. They were just having a laugh like they had done since pretty much the very start of the vacation. Of course, a lot could change in the span of a few weeks… Out of habit, she swept her gaze over their surroundings quickly to make sure that no-one was around and then pressed her lips to his in a chaste kiss. “I’m ready to tell them,” Zuko promised. “You just might have to do most of the talking.”

“I can handle that,” Katara smiled.

She took his hand back in hers and began leading him further up the path towards the pond. “Fetching water” may have been about as convincing a ruse as Suki and Sokka going to “collect firewood” together, but now that Katara thought about it, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have some on hand, judging by the number of firewine bottles Sokka and Toph had insisted they needed. Katara was very much planning on joining in the revelries again. She considered warning Zuko that this may result in her dipping him for a kiss, like she had with Amorai in the tavern, but she suspected he already knew that was a possibility. He had teased her enough about it the next morning, after all. A sudden feeling of warmth and excitement enveloped her again. Damn, this vacation had been such a good idea! Having everyone around again (well, almost everyone) and just talking and laughing without cares in the world…it felt fantastic. It was almost bizarre that where they used to camp because there was no other option, now they were actually _choosing_ to just for fun.

The whole world had lost any such semblance of carefree innocence for a century, but it was heartening to know just how quickly it seemed to be able to bounce back. How natural and normal this all felt. They had all changed during the war, had all come out of it with baggage, but they were all _there_. They were all okay. Toph had her school, which by the sounds of it was flourishing, not just as a bending academy but also as a contractor for more complicated projects; Sokka was getting _married_ ; Suki was setting up her own squad; Zuko was leading his country. Katara sometimes felt like, of all of her friends, she was the one who had achieved the least since the end of the war. She had been drifting for a while, caught up in the blissful haze of her relationship. She had been just as instrumental as Aang in continuing to help out the world, but she knew it was never _her_ the people they helped sought. It wasn’t that she had craved the recognition and accolades that had always fallen to Aang as the Avatar, it just would have been nice not to have been overlooked completely after everything she had done. That had been one of the great things about Ba Sing Se – the people she had met and helped there appreciated her for _her_ , not as just the Avatar’s girlfriend or the Avatar’s companion or the Avatar’s waterbending teacher. It hadn’t been entirely Aang’s fault, she knew – he was the Avatar. Even though it had taken all of them to halt the Fire Nation from their destructive path, ultimately, Aang was the one who had stopped Ozai. Of course the people would revere him. That didn’t mean he’d had to lap it up so much, though. The Air Acolytes, in particular, had been extraordinarily good at drawing him away from her and seemingly forgetting Katara was even there. Until she got mad, that was.

Well, not this time. She may be Zuko’s girlfriend now, but she wasn’t going to sit back and let herself be defined by the man on her arm, no matter how crazy she was about him. She wouldn’t just be the Fire Lord’s lover or the Fire Lord’s assistant. Katara wouldn’t have as well defined a role as Sokka or Suki now did in the Fire Nation, true, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t make one. And she knew without a shadow of doubt that she could talk to Zuko about any of it if she ever felt stuck. Suki had been very enthusiastic at the idea of training the new recruits with Katara and Ty Lee, so she imagined she would do that for a while. Afterwards, who knew? That was okay. She was just looking forward to her next adventure.

****

Katara and Zuko decided they would tell them after dinner. The sun was already beginning to set by the time they got back, with a large block of ice trailing behind them at Katara’s command.

“Get over here, Grumble Lord!” Toph called to them as they emerged from the treeline. “We need a fire and I think Snoozles is about to cry.”

“I am _not_ crying!” Sokka protested from his position hunched over the kindling he and Suki had (eventually) remembered they needed to collect. No-one had thought to bring spark rocks, seeing as they had a firebender with them, but Sokka had decided that that didn’t matter. There was no need to wait for Zuko to return, he could get the fire going on his own…and had then spent much longer than necessary grunting, cursing and flapping with frustration as each minute ember he managed to ignite with friction instantly lost their glows the moment he had turned sharply around to triumphantly boast to Suki and Toph that he had managed it. “It’s a lot harder than it looks!”

“I have to ask, how did you manage to have campfires before I joined you?” Zuko queried incredulously as he calmly bent a series of flames towards the firewood, where it roared to life.

“With a lot of swearing, mostly,” Katara replied, causing Sokka to glare at her and the others to chuckle at his displeasure.

As the summer was nearing its end, the refreshing ocean breezes that caused the elite and the wealthy to flock to Ember Island for the season took a decidedly cooler turn, and as the heat from the fire wafted over the clearing, everyone sighed in contentment, basking in its warmth. Toph was still laid flat on her rock-recliner, while Suki was perched on a log that she and Sokka had dragged to the clearing, before rolling it down towards the firepit where Toph used her earthbending to lodge it in place with stone. They had done the same to another log beside it, which Katara and Zuko quickly occupied after she streamed the ice block into the pails they had brought with them.

Suki cracked open the first bottle of firewine while Sokka and Katara busied themselves with the picnic basket and laying out the dishes the chef had prepared beforehand. Their dinner was accompanied by the sound of much talking and laughter, and it wasn’t long before they turned to the second bottle of firewine after their bowls and chopsticks had been cleared back away.

“So I was thinking-” Sokka began, before he was brusquely cut off by Zuko.

“That’s a shocker,” he deadpanned, causing everyone except Sokka to crack up again.

“Actually, Grumble Lord, what’s shocking is that he wasn’t lying about it,” Toph quipped.

“ _Anyway_ ,” Sokka tried again once the sniggering died down, “what I was _trying_ to say before I was so rudely interrupted, _Zuko_ ,” he mock-glared at the firebender before smirking in a way that made Zuko feel significantly more unnerved than the glare ever could. “Is that since this is the first time we’ve all been camping together for years, I thought we could do something to make it a little…uh, extra-special.”

Suki groaned. “ _Please_ tell me you didn’t bring cactus juice, Sokka!” At the mere mention of it, Toph and Katara also groaned. Neither of them had forgotten Sokka’s antics the last time he had guzzled the stuff down. To be fair to him, it had stopped him from complaining about water and it had seemed to sate him somewhat, but it had still been reckless and stupid, which Katara had lectured him about multiple times after he had come down from the euphoric high. At one point, he had been almost as bad as Aang on the rare, chi-stimulating tea an Earth Kingdom general had made him drink to try and induce the Avatar State.

“I didn’t, for you information,” Sokka replied haughtily. “I couldn’t find any…” he mumbled to himself, but loud enough for the rest of the group to hear him. He beamed at them. “But, I _did_ find this little beauty!” With that, he dramatically drew out a stringed musical instrument from a soft leather case behind the log he shared with Suki. On closer inspection, Katara recognised it to be a banjolele. She had seen them for sale whilst idly wandering Ba Sing Se with Iroh, and had witnessed the instrument in action at the hands of a few street performers. Sokka helpfully plucked one of the strings to let Toph in on what he had just revealed.

“Since when do you play an instrument?” Katara asked.

“I’ve been practising,” Sokka shrugged. “It was actually your uncle who gave me the idea, Zuko!” he said proudly. “He mentioned how you used to have music nights on your ship.”

“ _He_ used to have music nights,” Zuko informed him. “I never had anything to do with it.”

“Aw, that’s too bad. I was hoping you’d join me up here,” Sokka grinned. “You know, since you’re so good with the Tsungi horn and all…” Katara, Suki and Toph all fell into more laughter as they remembered just how _horrified_ Zuko had been when Iroh and Ursa had let that little tidbit of his past slip. Zuko scowled at all of them, but he wasn’t going to fall for this so easily.

“Nice try, Sokka. I don’t have one with me,” he replied smugly.

“ _Well_ …” Sokka trailed off, still smirking at Zuko, and then produced…a Tsungi horn from behind the log. Zuko’s eyes widened in shock and then horror. “Your uncle helped me pack it up this afternoon.”

“Are you keeping an entire orchestra back there?” Suki quipped, making a show of leaning back to check behind the log for more instruments. But before Sokka could retort, Zuko sulkily burst out:

“I am _not_ playing the Tsungi horn, Sokka.”

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll just see what happens once you have some more wine in you,” Sokka joked. If he was being completely honest, he didn’t expect that Zuko would perform for them in a thousand years. But the Tsungi horn was very light and easy to carry, and honestly, it had been worth hauling it out here just to see Zuko’s face! If Sokka could paint, _that_ was the expression he would want to memorialise Zuko with for many, many future generations to see.

“Actually, Sokka, before we keep drinking,” Katara piped up, exchanging a look with Zuko. He smiled knowingly at her and nodded, “there’s something that, uh, you should all know.” At this, Toph’s ears pricked and she sat up for the first time since bending her seat. In the end, she had decided against confronting her friends about their painfully obvious, blossoming romance. At the end of the day, it was their decision what they did and she’d noticed how happy they seemed to make each other. If Toph were younger, the thought of making them squirm for her amusement would have been enough for her to go barging in and tease them relentlessly about how very unsubtle they were, but something within her cautioned Toph to exercise restraint this time. Because what would it achieve ultimately? A few minutes of entertainment for Toph, and then possibly a _lot_ of awkwardness between the three of them for the rest of their stay. So Toph had decided to respect their privacy and said nothing (except to Iroh, but Iroh already knew so that didn’t count) that might give them away. If they wanted it to be a secret, they could have that secret. But now, it seemed – judging by how nervous both of their heartbeats were – they were ready to come clean. Toph thought it was just as well. Keeping a lid on the mocking comments she was ready to launch at them had been getting quite difficult. It was only because she was able to joke around with Iroh about it that her resolve to leave them to it hadn’t crumbled.

Suki and Sokka, however, merely looked at Katara curiously, and Suki nodded, encouraging her to continue. Katara took a deep breath and glanced up at Zuko. He caught her eye and stretched his hand out in the small gap between them, proffering it to her. Katara smiled and gladly took it, giving him a squeeze as she interlaced their fingers. She turned back to her friends, none of whom had apparently noticed the gesture.

“Zuko and I, we’ve…um…we’ve been…” Katara stammered nervously. Zuko squeezed her hand, letting her know that he was ready to jump in if she needed him to, despite his earlier misgivings about having to do the talking. She merely shook her head lightly at him, and squeezed him back in gratitude. “We’ve been…seeing each other and, well…we’ve decided we want to be together. We’re a couple.”

The clearing suddenly fell into silence. Around them, crickets chirped loudly, only being drowned out by an occasional crackle from the fire. Sokka, Suki and even Toph gawped at their friends, blinking. After a few tense moments, they all seemed to react at once.

“It’s about freaking time you admitted it!” Toph groaned.

“I can’t say I’m surprised,” Suki chimed in, thinking back to her conversation with Zuko (whilst he had been very blatantly snuggling with a drunk Katara). She looked them up and down, and noticed their intertwined hands for the first time. She grinned at them. “But congratulations! I think you two will be amazing together. Just don’t get too distracted during training, okay? I need my girl at her best!” she joked. Katara smiled at her gratefully, before turning her attention to her brother. His expression of shock hadn’t changed at all in the past few moments, and Katara wasn’t convinced she hadn’t accidentally frozen it on his face with her waterbending.

“ _What?!_ ” he eventually burst out, standing up. “You and…you and my sister…you…you…” he was practically gasping for air at this point.

“Breathe, Sokka,” Suki calmly reminded him.

“I…I don’t understand,” Sokka said. “What happened to Amorai?”

At this, Katara’s face reddened. ‘Oh crap, I forgot about that!’ she thought to herself. Beside her, she felt Zuko shift and he raised his eyebrow at her questioningly, but with a hint of a smirk hiding in his features. “Nothing happened to him, Sokka,” she sighed. “I made that up because I was actually going out with Zuko that night.”

“Well, I guess that explains why he looked so confused when I asked him how the big date went,” Sokka mused thoughtfully. He had just assumed the date had gone terribly, that perhaps Katara had made some horrific faux pas that she was too embarrassed to admit to. He had run into Amorai in town one day, and Amorai had just shot him a puzzled expression until Sokka hastily changed the subject. It was still handy he had run into him, though – it meant Sokka had found something _else_ out, which he was keeping close to his chest for the time being. He had casually mentioned this nugget of information to Iroh, and as Sokka had predicted, the older man had known just what to do with it. Zuko probably wouldn’t be too thrilled when he found out, but Sokka reasoned he could just blame it on Ursa. After all, she had made it no secret that she wanted to see a play while they were here and Zuko had already reluctantly agreed they would go to whichever show she wanted…

“You did _what_?” Katara gaped at him.

“Well, how was I supposed to know?!” Sokka retorted defensively.

“He’s got a point, Katara,” Zuko said to her. “But, out of interest, why him?”

“He played you. There’s a link there…sorta,” she answered weakly. Zuko merely snorted in amusement and squeezed her hand again.

“So it had nothing to do with the ‘dipping’ I heard about?” he smirked. Katara groaned at him as everyone else, including Sokka, fell into laughter. Katara pouted up at Zuko.

“I’ll dip _you_ in the pond if you’re not careful,” she mock-threatened. Zuko held his hands up in mock surrender, still smirking at her. Katara broke out into a smile of her own and shook her head at him. She turned back to Sokka and looked imploringly up at him. Whether Sokka approved or not wasn’t her greatest concern, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want her family to be happy for her. Especially Sokka. He was easily the one closest to her and they had been through _so_ much together. Not to mention they would all be based in the Fire Nation capital soon. They had agreed that for as long as Katara was helping Suki with the new recruits, she would take a room at the new embassy. Suki would probably have to stay on-site some nights with Ty Lee in case any problems arose, but the general idea was that the three of them would live together, with Zuko just a stone’s throw away so they could easily spend their evenings together if they chose.

Sokka let out a loud and dramatic sigh. Truthfully, the news had been a bit of a shock, but now that he thought about it, Sokka realised he didn’t actually have an issue with it. It just grossed him out a little to think of his baby sister dating anyone. Watching her and Aang canoodle constantly had given him a bad case of the oogies before he had returned to the South Pole on a more permanent basis. It had almost been a blessing, not having to be subjected to that daily. He just hoped that Katara wouldn’t feel that same inclination with Zuko.

“Eh, I guess it’s okay,” he decided. “I mean, I already know that Katara will kick your ass if you hurt her, so I’m not worried about that,” he grinned. Zuko could only nod meaningfully at him.

“I’ll _never_ do anything to hurt her, Sokka. You have my word,” Zuko promised solemnly.

“I’m not sure if you can make that promise, Grumble Lord,” Toph piped up. “We don’t know what your Tsungi horn sounds like yet.”

Zuko bristled. “I am _not_ playing the Tsungi horn!” he reiterated, scowling at her, even though he knew she couldn’t see him. Katara tittered beside him and shook her head. Zuko was _so_ easy sometimes, it was unreal.

“Just promise me one thing,” Sokka said to Katara. “I had to put up with this enough last time, and I’m putting my foot down here.” He placed his hands on his hips and leaned right in to her face as she frowned in confusion at him. “No oogies!”

“Oh, like _you’re_ one to talk!” Katara scoffed, standing up to meet him. “What about you and Suki?!”

“Hey, we’re getting married. It’s different.”

“Only since last week,” Katara pointed out. “What about the four years before that?”

“I’ll have you know…” As the siblings bickered, Zuko looked over at Suki. They shook their heads in understanding at each other.

“What are ‘oogies’?” Zuko mouthed at her, puzzled. Suki shrugged, and lifted up the bottle of firewine to refill her glass as she calmly listened to Katara and Sokka continue their playful argument. Zuko thought that was the best idea Suki had had since agreeing to marry Sokka, and motioned for her to hand the bottle to him.

****

The night continued in that manner until everyone was thoroughly in their cups, and they all seemed to shout louder and louder to make sure the whole island could hear them. Zuko and Toph both decided they wouldn’t be surprised if Iroh stalked up later to make a noise complaint. But it was all in good spirits, and everyone was in good cheer. Like last time, the liquor had made Katara very affectionate, and she spent most of the night snuggling up to Zuko on their shared log, feeling well and truly pleased that she didn’t have to hide it anymore or play it off as her being inebriated. Zuko couldn’t help but agree and lovingly held her close. The liquor didn’t seem to affect him in the same way. It made him less self-conscious than usual, but despite Sokka’s pleading and begging, Zuko knew there wasn’t enough liquor in the world that could make him think playing the Tsungi horn for his friends was a good idea. That didn’t stop Sokka from breaking out his banjolele again, though.

He had just finished playing a jaunty little tune, for his own amusement as much as anyone else’s, and had received scattered applause for his efforts. His face suddenly took on a very sombre and serious expression as he stood before them. “I would like to dedicate this song to my beautiful betrothed, Suki.” He blew a kiss at her and she beamed less than soberly at him. “And to my sister,” Sokka continued. “I have a feeling _you’ll_ recognise this one.” Katara frowned in confusion at him before hiccupping loudly and falling back against Zuko as she giggled.

Sokka took a deep breath.

“Two lovers, forbidden from one another  
A war divides their people  
And a mountain divides them apart  
Built a path to be together!”

At this, Katara cheered. “I _do_ know this song!” she declared happily. She untangled herself from Zuko and jumped up to stand beside Sokka. She began to sway in time as Sokka got through the next verse.

“Yeah, I forget the next couple of lines but then it goes – come on, Katara, you know this part!” Katara nodded at him and together, they burst out into the chorus:

“Secret tunnel!  
Secret tunnel!  
Through the mountain  
Secret, secret, secret, secret tunnel!”

Sokka finished with a triumphant flourish on his banjolele as Katara drunkenly cheered for him again, before devolving into another fit of giggles. They had almost forgotten about their friends, who were all wearing identical expressions of pure confusion mixed with horror mixed with a decisive air of ‘what on _earth_ did I just witness?’

Toph was the first to get over it and she snorted loudly at the other two. “What have you gotten yourselves _into_?!” she cackled, practically rolling on the floor through her laughter. Zuko and Suki exchanged uncertain glances.

“Still happy about your new relationship?” Suki teased.

“Still happy about your betrothal?” Zuko retorted, smirking. Suki snorted with laughter.

“I can’t argue with that!” she said happily, and they clinked their glasses together. “Seriously, why was that song dedicated to _me_ , Zuko?”

“I…really can’t answer that question. I don’t think anyone can explain why Sokka does what he does.”

“Sokka sure is a mystery,” Suki agreed. “Well, you and I will have to stick together from now on. These Water Tribe folk make great partners, but they’re insane sometimes, huh?”

“Yeah,” Zuko nodded serenely. “But you’ve got to love them anyway.”

“Yeah…” Suki nodded, then frowned. “Wait, did you just say-?” She looked up at Zuko in pleasant shock, but he just shook his head, pleading with his eyes not to mention it. Suki smiled in understanding and nodded. Katara was a lucky girl, she couldn’t help but muse. But as she looked at her betrothed and his sister, who were by now holding each other up as they laughed, Suki knew she was as well. She loved that idiot…and she couldn’t wait to be married to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again. Thank you so much to everyone who commented, bookmarked and/or left kudos! You guys have been utterly fantastic and thanks so much for staying patient. I know every author says this, and it's probably true for every author, but every comment really helped spur me on and lifted my spirits :)
> 
> I'd love to be able to promise it won't be such a long wait again, but I just can't. However, as some of you may have noticed, I have now capped this story at 16 chapters, and I do have a rough outline for how each of the remaining ones will go, so that should help with the process. Part of the reason I struggled with this one was because I knew where I wanted everyone to end up, I just wasn't quite sure how they got there, if that makes sense.
> 
> But enough of my ramblings! Thanks again, all of you, sincerely. Until next time.


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